Pork With Pumpkin Seed Sauce Food

CHEF JOHN'S PUMPKIN-BRAISED PORK

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.

GRILLED PUMPKIN BBQ-GLAZED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• For the pumpkin bbq sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until tender and transluscent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the ketchup, pumpkin puree, broth, sugar, syrup, vinegar, chili powder, Worcestershire, garlic powder, smoked paprika, pumpkin pie spice, salt and pepper and whisk well to combine. Bring to a low simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let cook until thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. If it begins to look too thick, add a few tablespoons of water or broth.
• For the pork chops: Preheat a grill or grill pan for cooking over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the pork chops generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Brush the chops on each side with vegetable oil and grill, 4 minutes per side. Baste the pork chops on each side with the sauce and grill an additional minute per side to allow the sauce to caramelize. Serve the chops with extra sauce.

PUMPKIN SEED-CRUSTED PORK TENDERLOIN ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Season pork with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne.
• Heat vegetable oil in an oven-proof pan over high heat. Sear pork in the hot oil until well-browned on all sides. Turn off the heat, and transfer to a plate.
• Mix mustard, maple syrup, and cumin together in a small bowl. Use a spoon to spread mustard mixture all over the surface of the pork, getting as thick a layer as possible.
• Transfer the pumpkin seeds on top of the mustard mixture in a thick layer, and lightly press down into the surface. Press pumpkin seeds into the sides as well.
• Transfer pork back into the pan and add 1/2 cup of broth.
• Roast in the preheated oven until pork is slightly pink in the center, about 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Remove pork to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
• Place the same pan back over medium-high heat and add remaining 1/2 cup of broth, rice vinegar, and balsamic vinegar. Stir with a spoon and bring to a boil.
• Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and stir in butter. Taste for seasoning and serve over sliced pork.

PECAN-CRUSTED PORK WITH PUMPKIN BUTTER

Steps:

• Whisk together pumpkin puree, apple juice, sugar, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon in a saucepan until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the mixture has reached the consistency of applesauce. About 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pulse pecans and bread crumbs in a food processor until the pecans are finely chopped. Pour into a shallow dish, and press pork chops into the mixture to coat.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add breaded pork chops and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve the pork chops with a dollop of pumpkin butter.

PORK WITH PUMPKIN-SEED SAUCE

Steps:

• Stir pumpkin seeds in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until golden and beginning to pop, about 8 minutes. Cool. Reserve 2 tablespoons seeds in bowl. In blender, mix 7 tablespoons pumpkin seeds and half each of lettuce, onion, cilantro, chilies, garlic, radish leaves and broth. Blend to smooth puree. Transfer to large bowl. Repeat with 7 tablespoons pumpkin seeds and remaining lettuce, onion, cilantro, chilies, garlic, radish leaves and broth. Pour into same large bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add puree; boil until slightly thickened, stirring often, 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; cover partially. Simmer puree until reduced to thick sauce, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Place skillet in oven; roast pork until thermometer inserted into center registers 150°F, about 45 minutes. Transfer pork to cutting board; let stand 10 minutes. Reserve pan juices.
• Slice pork thinly; place on platter. Re-warm sauce, adding pan juices; spoon sauce over pork. Top with reserved seeds.
• *Also known as pepitas. Available at Latin American markets, natural foods stores and many supermarkets.