What's Cooking: Pumpkin Seed Encrusted Pork Belly & Squash Pancakes | News

Recipe by Jeremy & Jamie Paquin, Mia and Grace of Muskegon

Pumpkin Seed Encrusted Pork Belly
1 # Braised Pork Belly
2 cups pumpkin seeds, toasted and chopped
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Egg wash, as needed
Seasoned flour, as needed
Olive oil, as needed

1. Cut braised pork belly into 1 1/2 inch slices.
2. Combine pumpkin seeds and panko in a bowl.
3. Whisk eggs and milk until well combined to make egg wash and set aside.
4. Liberally season flour with salt and pepper.
5. One at a time, dredge belly slices in flour and shake off excess, then dip into egg wash, and then press into pumpkin seed mixture.
6. In a sauté pan over moderate heat, heat olive oil and add coated belly Cook until nicely browned on all sides.
7. Rest fish on paper towel lined sheet pan until ready to serve. Hold warm.

Merlot Poached Apples
2 cups Merlot
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 apples, peeled, halved, cored
1 cinnamon stick
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 stalk celery, peeled and julienned

1. Combine all ingredients except apples in small sauce pan. Bring to a gentle simmer.
2. Add apples. Poach until tender but not mushy.
3. Remove and cool apples.
4. Increase heat of poaching liquid and reduce to 1 cup.
5. Once apples are cooled, julienne, add to celery, season with salt, pepper and chopped parsley. Toss with small amount of reduction.

Squash Pancakes
3 cups buttermilk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup roasted squash
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Canola oil (or spray) as needed for griddle

1. Whisk together buttermilk, squash eggs, and melted butter.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon until only a few dry patches remain. Mix in the rest of the melted butter. Batter may be a little lumpy.
3. Preheat electric griddle to 350 degrees. Spray or lightly brush with canola oil. Drop pancake batter ¼ cup at a time, leaving 2 inches between. Cook until ddotted with buttles and edges are dry. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes. Hold warm until service.

Plating....
Drizzle reduction over pancakes, sage butter (if desired between pancakes). Top with sliced pork belly. Drizzle entire place with warm merlot reduction. Garnish with apple and celery salad.