Pork & Butternut Squash Tacos
There is something about colder weather that has me craving the same handful of flavors in every format. For me, that includes lots of root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, squashes, etc), some form of protein (usually steak or pork), and crisp apples. Weird, I know, but they are also typically so freaking delicious when paired together. This past week Joe and I promised each other that we’d try out a new recipe, so I put on my thinking cap.
**Before I dive into the recipe, I want to provide some history and context on tacos. According to this piece in Vallarta Eats, the word taco comes from the word “tlahco”, which means “half or in the middle”. However, according to this article, there are also beliefs that the name taco was first referred to dynamite used in mines, which was wrapped tightly in paper, much like the modern-day taco is wrapped in a tortilla. It is believed that the classic corn tortillas were originally used as a spoon-like structure to hold the food they were eating (dating back to 1,500 BC). In the early 1900s, the revolutionary era brought the emergence of the classic and original taco. Then, during an economic crisis in the 1950s, residents began selling the famous dish on the streets to workers. Evidence is believed that tacos first made their way over to the US by an influx of immigrants in the 19th century into the Los Angeles area. Today, you are able to find Americanized versions of tacos in just about every city. The first telling sign of an authentic taco would be the shell, which should be corn-based, and the second would be the fillings, which should be a few simple ingredients: meat, lettuce, and a small amount of cheese. For a lot more information on this topic, here is a book devoted to the investigation of Mexican food: Global Taco - A Global History of Mexican Food. While this recipe is not traditional, it is my take of the Americanized version of a taco.
Knowing that our ButcherBox delivery was about to arrive, it was time to defrost and use whatever we had left from our last delivery (if anything to clear space in our freezer because that is prime real estate in this apartment). I pulled out the lone soldier from our previous shipment, the pork chops, and decided that we were going to have some fun creating a new taco spread. Obviously, being that it is (semi) cold out, as soon as I had decided on pork chops my imagination quickly led me to the remaining ingredients - squash, kale, and apples. Unsure if anyone has ever considered this taco combination, I was determined to make it work. Turns out, it does!
To make these deliciously unique tacos, it is pretty simple. First, you peel and slice the butternut squash into 1/2 inch pieces and then season with avocado oil, salt, and pepper. Place the squash on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and in the oven at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. I actually used our toaster oven, because I am obsessed with it, but a regular oven will work perfectly as well. While the squash is cooking, pat dry the pork chops and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper and then place on a hot skillet with melted butter. Sear the pork chops for 7 minutes per side and then finish by placing the skillet in the oven at 425 degrees for 5-10 minutes. Once they are finished cooking, place them on a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
While the squash and pork chops are cooking, chop the kale and apple into small pieces. Set the apple aside and massage the kale with olive oil. When the butternut squash is finished cooking, add it to a food processor or blender with olive oil and blend until a puree texture is formed. Char the tortillas on the stovetop flame for about 30 seconds per side and then thinly slice the, now rested, pork chop. Place everything alongside each other and set up your build your own taco bar!
Pork & Butternut Squash Tacos
ingredients:
- Pork chop (2)
- Apple (1)
- Butternut squash (1)
- Kale (4 leaves)
- Tortillas (8 – assuming 2 tacos per person)
- Nutmeg (1/2 teaspoon)
- Avocado oil (1 teaspoon)
- Olive oil (3 tablespoons)
- Butter (1 tablespoon)
- Salt
- Pepper
instructions:
How to cook Pork & Butternut Squash Tacos
- Peel and cut the butternut squash into ½ inch pieces and season with 1 teaspoon of avocado oil and salt and pepper
- Place the squash on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in the oven at 425 degrees for 25 minutes
- While the squash is cooking, prepare the pork chops
- Pat the pork chops dry and season with ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, salt, and pepper
- Heat a cast iron skillet and add 1 tablespoon of butter
- Once the butter is melted and the skillet is hot, add the pork chops
- Sear the pork chop for ~7 minutes and then flip and sear for an additional ~7 minutes
- Remove the skillet from the heat and put it in the oven at 425 degrees for a remaining 5-10 minutes of cooking
- Chop the apple into small pieces and set aside
- Destem and chop the kale into small pieces and massage with 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- When the pork chop is finished cooking, remove the skillet from the oven and place the pork chops on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes
- When the butternut squash is finished cooking, add the squash to a blender with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and blend until it forms a puree texture and set aside
- Optional – heat the tortillas on the stovetop flame for ~30 seconds per side to get a nice char
- Slice the porkchop into thin pieces
- Serve as a build your own taco bar with the kale, apples, butternut squash puree, and the pork chop
- Gluten free – depending on tortillas used
- Dairy free
- Paleo – depending on tortillas used
- Whole30 – depending on tortillas used
** after a lot of self-reflection and doing the work of Layla F Saad’s Me and White Supremacy (a book I highly recommend everyone reads) and Rachel Rickett’s Social Activism 101 & 102 courses, I realized the cultural appropriation that was occurring on my website when it came to recipes. I was modifying recipes deeply embedded in oppressed cultures without paying any respect to the history or original ingredients used. After realizing this, I went through and made changes to many of my recipes. This section is part of what was edited and included.