Recipe Archives->Casseroles->Pork Pumpkin

Pork and Pumpkin Stew

1 pound fresh pumpkin, seeded

1 teaspoon cumin seed
3/4 pound chorizo sausage

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 tablespoons flour
1 large onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
10 cups or so water
2 bay leaves

1 small bell pepper, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 15-ounce can white hominy, drained
salt and freshly ground pepper
fresh cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 350F.  Arrange pumpkin skin side up in large baking
pan.  Add water just to cover bottom of pan.  Cover and bake until
pumpkin is tender and fork pierces center easily.  Cool.  Peel and
cut into 3/4 inch cubes.

Toast cumin seed in heavy small skillet over medium heat until
fragrant, shaking pan constantly, about 3 minutes.  Using spice
grinder or morter and pestle, finely grind cumin.

Crumble chorizo into heavy 12-quart Dutch oven over medium heat.
Cook until fat is rendered and chorizo is heated through, stirring
occasionally.  Transfer chorizo to sieve set over bowl and drain;
reserve drippings.  Set aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons chorizo drippings in Dutch oven over medium
heat.  Toss pork with flour.  Add to Dutch oven in batches and cook
until brown.  Return all pork to Dutch oven.  Add onion, garlic,
oregano and cumin and cook until onion is soft, stirring frequently.
Add 10 cups water and bay leaves.  Bring to boil, skimming surface.
Reduce heat and simmer 1 1/4 hours.

Add bell pepper, jalapeno and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.  Cover
partially and simmer until pork is tender.  Stir in pumpkin, chorizo
and hominy and cook 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Ladle
into soup bowls.  Garnish with cilantro.

Printable version: pork-pumpkin.txt.