Red Roast Chicken & Baby Bok Choy

Ingredients

• 1 bottle dry red wine
• 3 cups soy sauce
• 1 cup dark brown sugar or 2 pounds rock candy
• 1 5-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 whole head garlic, unpeeled and halved horizontally
• 2 bunches scallions, white parts sliced into 2-inch lengths, green part, fine sliced
• 2 while star anise
• 4 Thai bird chilis
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 5-6 pounds chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
• 3-4 cups water
• 8 baby bok choy, halved and cored
• 4 sweet potatoes, forked, wrapped in foil and baked through

Instructions

1. 1
   In a large casserole combine the wine, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, scallion whites, star anise, chilis, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil over high heat and add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Reduce to a simmer and add the chicken and water. If the liquid doesn’t cover the chicken, add more water.
2. 2
   Simmer until super tender and almost falling from the bones, 1.5 to 2 hours. Do not overcook the meat or the meat will come apart. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the bok choy.
3. 3
   Meanwhile, unwrap the hot sweet potatoes and scoop out flesh into the center of a large platter. Smash them up. Carefully spoon the chicken and bok choy from the pot and arrange on platter, using potatoes to anchor the chicken.
4. 4
   Glaze the chicken with the sauce and garnish with the scallion greens and serve.