Mexican Pumpkin Punch Recipes

MEXICAN PUMPKIN PUNCH

Steps:

• Combine 12 cups water, the brown sugar and cinnamon sticks in a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the pumpkin and return to a simmer. Meanwhile, remove the zest from the limes in wide strips using a vegetable peeler; add the zest to the pot and simmer 15 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate until the liquid is cold and the pumpkin pulp settles to the bottom, 2 to 3 hours.
• Working in batches, ladle the liquid into a fine-mesh strainer set over a pitcher (repeat if necessary to strain out all the pumpkin pulp). Discard the pulp and lime zest. Return the cinnamon sticks to the punch and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Pour the punch into ice-filled glasses. Add rum, pineapple and/or pecans, if desired. Serve with the cinnamon sticks.

SMOKY BRAISED MEXICAN PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Make the salsa: If using dried chiles, preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chiles and toast, turning frequently and pressing down with a flat spatula, until very aromatic, about 30 seconds. Transfer chiles to a small bowl and cover with hot water. Let sit until chiles are rehydrated, for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure even soaking.
• Place garlic and tomatillos in the skillet. Toast, turning occasionally, until soft and blackened in some spots, 3 to 4 minutes for the tomatillos and about 5 minutes for the garlic. Transfer garlic, tomatillos, and their juices to the bowl of a food processor or jar of a blender.
• Drain chiles, either from the soaking water or their canning liquid, and discard liquid. Add chiles to the tomatillos and process to a fine-textured puree. Set aside.
• If using fresh tomatoes, place tomatoes on a baking sheet and place baking sheet 4 inches below the preheated broiler. Roast until blackened on one side, about 6 minutes. Turn tomatoes over and roast on the other side, an additional 6 minutes. Let cool, then peel and roughly chop. Transfer tomatoes and any juices to a small bowl; set aside.
• In a large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork, if using, and onions; cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits of meat with a wooden spoon, until pork is nicely golden, about 10 minutes.
• Add reserved salsa, tomatoes, and 3 to 4 tablespoons water; stir to combine. Add Swiss chard and season with salt. To make this dish ahead of time, cover and refrigerate sauce for up to 2 days, then continue cooking as follows.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pumpkin evenly in a 9-by-9-inch glass baking dish. Pour over pork mixture. Cover baking dish with foil and bake until pumpkin is tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Dish can be cooled and refrigerated at this point, if desired, then continue cooking as followed when ready to serve.
• To continue cooking, uncover dish and raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Continue baking until sauce has reduced slightly and top becomes crusty, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

MEXICAN CHRISTMAS PUNCH (PONCHE NAVIDENO)

Steps:

• Stud each orange with 6 whole cloves, using the pointed ends of the cloves to pierce the skin. Cut oranges into wedges. Reserve 12 wedges for garnish. Cut some slits into each hawthorn.
• Bring water, hibiscus petals, and cinnamon sticks to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until water is a deep pink color, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove hibiscus petals but leave cinnamon sticks in the water to infuse further. Stir in orange wedges, hawthorns, apples, sugar cane, pear, and brown sugar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes.
• Ladle the punch into 12 mugs, making sure each mug gets some slices of fruit. Add 1 fluid ounce rum to each mug to give the punch an extra kick. Garnish mugs with reserved orange slices.