Pumpkin, Pork And Coconut Tacos

Pumpkin, Pork and Coconut Tacos

Serves 4

Pumpkin Puree

1 ounce butter

1/2 cup onion, finely minced

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped mint stems

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro stems

4 cups diced pumpkin or squash

4 fl oz coconut milk

1/4 cup queso fresco, grated

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender. Take care not to let the onions brown, add a tablespoon or tow of water if needed to prevent browning. When the onions are tender and smell sweet, add the garlic, mint and cilantro stems.

Cook the aromatics 1 minute more, then stir in pumpkin. Sauté the pumpkin with with the onion for 5 minutes more, or until the cubes of pumpkin become tender at the edges. Stir in the coconut milk and simmer until the pumpkin is completely soft.

Transfer the pumpkin mixture to a food processor or blender and add the mint. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a small pot and hold warm until ready to serve.

Coconut Sambal

Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon turmeric

juice of 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon palm sugar or light brown sugar

1 cup grated fresh coconut or frozen (thawed and drained in a colander)

Combine the jalapeño, cilantro and turmeric in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the lime juice, sugar and coconut and pulse until just combined.

Pork

Brine

3 fl ounces soy sauce

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1/2 head garlic, cut in half

2 scallions, roughly chopped

2 inch piece of fresh ginger, thinly sliced

2 cups ice water

2 lbs Pork belly or shoulder

Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, garlic, scallion and ginger in a saucepot and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes to infuse flavor, then remove from the heat. Stir in the ice water. Place the pork belly in a zip top bag and add enough brine to cover completely.  Seal bag and refrigerate overnight. Reserve excess brine for another use.

Remove the pork belly from the brine, and pat dry. Place the meat on a rack inside a roasting pan, tightly covered with foil. Cook at 400˚F for 2 hours. Remove from the oven and rest 30 minutes on top of the stove before uncovering. Pat the cooked meat dry and brown under a broiler, in a cast iron skillet or on a hot grill before serving.

To cook sous vide: Seal the meat in a plastic bag. Set a water bath to 162˚F (72˚C) and cook for 18 hours. Remove from the bath, pat dry and brown under a broiler, in a cast iron skillet or on a hot grill before serving. If not serving immediately, thoroughly chill the cooked meat in the sealed bag and hold refrigerated, up to two weeks. Rethermalize and sear before serving.  

For the tacos

12 corn tortillas, warmed

1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Spread some the pumpkin puree on the tortilla. Top with slices of pork, then sprinkle with generous amount of the coconut sambal, cheese and mint. Serve immediately.