Bobby Flay's Soup Sensation

Leave it to Las Vegas to impress my taste buds. The Pumpkin Soup with Cinnamon Crema and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds tasted almost like a dessert. It was fruity, earthy and spicy. It's not just the pumpkin puree that makes it sweet, there's a little honey and maple syrup in it, and some cinnamon, ginger and allspice. Together the combo is irresistible. The soup is a staple on the menu at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. It was the star dish of lunch in Vegas followed by an scrumptious burger.

A couple days later I made the soup at home. It was every bit as good as in the restaurant and easy to make. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Variation: I doubled the recipe and used 7 cups chicken stock and 6 cups pumpkin puree. I omitted the chipotle puree and the crema. At the restaurant they served it with a few pomegranate seeds, a nice touch that is not in the recipe.

Mesa Grill’s Pumpkin Soup with Cinnamon Crema and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
from Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook

Serves: 6-8

Pumpkin Soup
3-4 cups enriched chicken stock or low sodium canned chicken broth or vegetable broth
3 cups pumpkin puree (not flavored pie filling)
2 teaspoon ground Mexican cinnamon, plus extra for garnish (optional)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons chipotle chile puree
3/4 cup crema, crème fraiche or sour cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Roasted pumpkin seeds (recipe follows)

1. Bring 3 cups of the stock to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, honey, maple syrup and chipotle puree. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more stock, if the soup is too thick.

2. Remove from the heat and whisk in 1/4 cup of the crema and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Mix together the remaining 1/2 cup crema and 1 teaspoon cinnamon until combined.

4. Ladle the soup into four bowls; drizzle with the cinnamon crema and sprinkle with roasted pumpkin seeds.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Makes 1 cup

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Toss the seeds with the oil and season with salt to taste. Spread the seeds evenly on a baking sheets and bake, tossing occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, until they are lightly golden brown and crisp. Let cool. Can be made 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container.

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Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill at Caesars Palace
3570 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV89109