Pork With Mashed Pumpkin Recipes

Steps:

• Combine pork, the unpeeled onion and unpeeled garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns in a medium stockpot. Add water to cover by about 1 inch. Cover and bring to a boil, immediately reduce heat to maintain a slow rolling boil, skimming off any froth that rises to the surface. Cook, partially covered, until the meat is tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer meat to a bowl, letting it drain well; reserve the liquid, and set the meat aside. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve; there should be 3 to 4 cups. Wipe out the pot, and return stock to pot; set aside.
• Cut pumpkin or squash into 8 equal chunks, removing any seeds or strings. Add to stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a low rolling boil and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove pumpkin, and drain well in a colander. Cool to room temperature. Reserve stock for another use. Scrape pumpkin flesh into a bowl, discarding the skin. Mash the flesh thoroughly; set aside.
• Meanwhile; bring 2 to 3 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the dried chiles, and cook, uncovered, until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain, stem and seed the chiles; set aside.
• Place pumpkin seeds in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Toast, stirring and shaking skillet, until the seeds begin to swell and pop, 3 to 5 minutes; set aside. In a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle, combine the cumin, coriander, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns. Grind until fine; set aside.
• In the jar of a blender, combine the coarsely chopped onion, finely chopped garlic, tomatoes, drained chiles, pumpkin seeds, and ground spices; puree until smooth.
• In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons lard over medium-high heat until rippling. Add the pureed tomato mixture. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat starts to separate, about 15 minutes. Add the reserved mashed pumpkin or squash and the vinegar, stirring to mix well. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes more. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons lard in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned and crisp, but not dry, about 5 minutes.
• Spoon seasoned pumpkin or squash mixture onto a platter and top with pork.

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to high. Pat the pork dry and season with salt and pepper. Lightly oil the grill, then grill the pork, turning, until marked, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the peaches, wine, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Remove strips of zest from the lemon with a vegetable peeler and add to the pan; squeeze in the lemon juice. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the peaches are just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Add the mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the juices in the pan. Transfer 1/3 cup of the liquid to a small bowl and stir in the chopped rosemary; brush onto the pork and continue grilling until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145 degrees F, 10 to 15 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.
• Meanwhile, simmer the remaining liquid in the saucepan until syrupy, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt. Return the peaches to the pan along with the rosemary sprigs. Slice the pork and serve with the peaches.
• Per serving: Calories 376; Fat 8 g (Saturated 3 g); Cholesterol 147 mg; Sodium 181 mg; Carbohydrate 26 g; Fiber 1 g; Protein 49 g

Steps:

• Cut pork into large chunks. Place in a bowl. Add salt, pepper, cayenne, thyme, fennel seeds, rosemary, and shallots. Mix thoroughly and cover pork with parchment paper. Refrigerate to let flavors develop, 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Add flour to pork and mix to coat. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork in 2 batches until browned, about 3 minutes per side.
• Insert the tip of a knife at a 45-degree angle into the top half of the pumpkin. Slowly cut all the way around to remove the 'lid'. Scrape seeds and fibers off the bottom of the lid and inside of the pumpkin using a large spoon or ice cream scoop.
• Line the bottom of a baking pan with parchment paper and place pumpkin on top. Stuff the pumpkin with the browned pork; pour in cider. Cover with the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pork is very tender, about 4 hours. Pour in a little more cider after a few hours in the oven, since a lot of it evaporates. Remove from the oven and let rest; brush pumpkin with some of the rendered fat from the bottom of the pan.
• Scoop pork onto serving plates and cut out pieces of pumpkin to serve alongside. Combine remaining rendered fat with cooking liquid from inside the pumpkin. Let sauce rest for a few minutes so you can skim off most of the fat. Spoon sauce over the pork.