Sweet Braised Pumpkin 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.

SWEET BRAISED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Cut peeled pumpkin into large chunks.
• In heave based pan heat oil and add ginger, garlic, scallions.
• Cook 3 mins over medium heat, stirring regularly.
• Add pumpkin, sprinkle with sugar. Cook 8 - 10 mins turning the peices until pumpkin is bowned and just tender.
• Add chicken stock, fish sauce, boil until all liquid has evaporated. Sprinkle with lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
• It's ready!

BRAISED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• In a large non-stick frying pan, add the broth, soy sauce, apple juice, onions, pumpkin, and pepper.
• Bring mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for 10-12 minutes.
• Add salt if you prefer and garnish with green onions.

CREAMY PUMPKIN SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir shallots until soft, about 10 minutes. Add butter and allow to melt. Whisk flour into butter mixture until incorporated. Stir cream, salt, and cinnamon into butter mixture and continue whisking until incorporated, about 2 minutes.
• Mix pumpkin and 1/2 cup chicken broth into cream mixture, adding more broth, 1/4 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Simmer sauce until desired consistency is reached, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir sage and thyme into sauce.