Help tonight's menu - dish to go with long-cooked pork shoulder

[Junie D]

I've got a 6 pound pork shoulder in the oven (stuffed with garlic, parsley, thyme, and sliced lemons, in the big Le Creuset for 8 hours)and need a dish to go with it. Was thinking potato gratin - but that is also long, slow cooked.... What would you make with this?

Also on the menu: salad with walnut oil vinaigrette, navel oranges and candied walnuts

Thanks!

[zebcook]

Again it may be too late, but I'd vote for bread dumplings. Especially if there is any kind of sauce for the roast.

[Junie D]

Thanks all for the suggestions. It is so interesting how different people come up with such varied and yet right on combinations of foods. I ended up making the potato gratin since I already had the cream, and broccoli with garlic and chili flakes. The slightly bitter and spicy component was delicious with the creamy potatoes and falling apart pork. Something vinegary, as some suggested, would have been great.

What are bread dumplings?

[Youffraita]

It's probably too late for today, but why not saute some garlic and shallots with black mustard seeds, add fresh spinach (rinsed but not dried) and a splash of vinegar?

[Ginger Wolf]

Steamed brocolli and macaroni and cheese, along with a dollop of homemade applesauce and cornbread. Actually any green vegetable, but the brocolli is yummy next to the creamy cheese goo.

[swarttav]

sweet and sour red cabbage and scalloped potatoes - both take an hour and are really good with pork ( I'm predjudiced - that was my dinner tonight)

[hitachino]

do chowhounds use canned beans in a pinch? if so, have some navy beans or some other white bean as a starch.

i like to have braised cabbage with pork. i've always made a simple southern-style fried cabbage dish. i tried to make some jamaican style cabbage not too long ago but failed miserably. i'm gonna have to work on that!

[BobB]

Absolutely! I like my beans well-cooked anyway (NEVER al dente!), and they are one of the few foods where canned is a very acceptable substitute for fresh.

[lintygmom]

Sweet potato chips and Brussels sprouts with rosemary! A little crunch and a little bitter to balance the pork and the sweet salad.

[Notorious EMDB]

I'd just go with something simple-- steamed broccoli with lemon and butter, or green beans. If you're interested in something fancier, there was a Fine Cooking recipe a few months with pan roasted green beans dressed with olive oil, lemon, toasted pignoli, and shaved parmesan.