Miso Pork Bread Pudding

Directions

1. 1
   Pour the chicken broth, soy sauce, and rice vinegar over your pork in the bowl of a crockpot
2. 2
   Add the ginger, lime juice, cinnamon, cloves, Szechuan peppercorns, star anise, black pepper and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
3. 3
   Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. You can go on high for 4 - 6 but I let it slow cook for the full 8 hours.
4. 4
   When the pork is ready, remove to a platter and shred. Cover with tinfoil to keep warm
5. 5
   Turn the crockpot to high and put the package of mushrooms into the leftover liquid. Cook for 15 minutes.
6. 6
   Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 and cut the bread into 1 inch squares
7. 7
   Place the bread on a baking sheet and lightly toast in oven for 5 - 10 minutes but keep an eye on it, you don't want it to burn
8. 8
   Turn the oven down to 325. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with butter and set aside
9. 9
   Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add butter . When the butter foams, add chopped onion and salt and cook until just softened (3 - 4 minutes)
10. 10
    Add the garlic and season again with salt and pepper. Cook until the garlic is soft and fragrant, about a minute
11. 11
    Add the sliced bok choy to the onions and garlic and stir until the bok choy is bright green and starting to wilt then remove from the mixture from the heat
12. 12
    Whisk the eggs, half and half, miso, soy sauce and chile oil until well combined in a large bowl
13. 13
    Add the onion and bok choy mixture to the custard
14. 14
    Add the shredded pork and 2 tablespoons scallions to the custard mixture and stir to combine
15. 15
    Gently add the toasted bread to the custard mixture and stir until well mixed
16. 16
    Depending on the size of your loaf and how much bread you've used, if it looks like the bread has absorbed too much custard, mix two additional eggs with 2 tablespoons of half and half and 1 teaspoon of chili oil in a small bowl and add to the custard mixture.
17. 17
    Pour gently into your casserole dish. There should be enough custard to submerge all but the most elevated bread cubes.
18. 18
    Bake for 30 - 40 minutes . The bread pudding should be puffed and starting to pull away from the edges with a fully set center
19. 19
    Serve warm and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions. Drizzle with extra chili oil if you want some heat!