Roasted Pork & Delicata Squash

with Warm Farro & Kale Salad

40 MIN

4 Servings

From the Test Kitchen

What would fall cooking be without squash? The season ushers in many hardy, delicious varieties—and we’re using one of the finest here. Delicata squash, with its ridged, oblong shape, lends itself beautifully to rings. (What’s more, its thin skin is edible, too.) When roasted, it develops a full, sweet flavor—perfect for pairing with savory pork, browned on the stove and then finished in the oven alongside the squash. For a wholesome side, we’re making a salad of farro, kale (which softens in the heat of the cooked grains), almonds and dried currants.

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Nutrition

PER SERVING
Calories

625 Cals (est.)

fresh

ingredients

1 Pork Roast
1 cup Semi-Pearled Farro
1 bunch Kale
1 Delicata Squash
1 Lemon
3 Tbsps Pork Demi-Glace
2 Tbsps Butter
2 Tbsps Dried Currants
2 Tbsps Sliced Almonds
1 Shallot
1 Tbsp Pork & Squash Spice Blend (Ground Cardamom, Ground Coriander, Ground Fennel Seeds & Ground Sumac)

time-saving

tips & techniques

step-by-step

instructions

Cook Along

1 Prepare the ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Remove and discard the kale stems; finely chop the leaves. Cut off and discard both ends of the squash. Slice the squash crosswise into ½-inch-thick rounds; remove and discard the pulp and seeds. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Peel and mince the shallot; place in a bowl with the juice of all 4 lemon wedges.

2 Cook the farro & make the salad:

Add the farro to the pot of boiling water. Cook 16 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Off the heat, add the currants, almonds, kale and shallot-lemon juice mixture; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined and the kale has wilted slightly; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish. Set aside in a warm place.

3 Brown the pork:

While the farro cooks, pat the pork dry with paper towels; season on all sides with salt, pepper and half the spice blend. In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned pork. Cook, turning occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Remove from heat.

4 Roast the pork & squash:

While the pork browns, place the squash on a foil-lined sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt, pepper and the remaining spice blend. Toss to thoroughly coat and arrange in a single, even layer. Transfer the browned pork to the sheet pan of seasoned squash, leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan. Roast 24 to 26 minutes, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork and the pork is cooked through. (An instant-read thermometer should register 145°F.) Remove from the oven. Transfer the roasted pork to a cutting board and let rest for at least 5 minutes.

5 Make the pan sauce:

While the pork rests, heat the pan of reserved fond on medium until hot. Add the demi-glace and ¼ cup of water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pan, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced in volume by about half. Turn off the heat. Stir in the butter until thoroughly combined; season with salt and pepper to taste.

6 Serve your dish:

Find the lines of muscle (or grain) of the rested pork; thinly slice crosswise against the grain. Transfer to a serving dish with the roasted squash. Stir any juices from the cutting board into the pan sauce; spoon the pan sauce over the pork and squash. Serve with the salad on the side. Enjoy!