Mesa Grills Pumpkin Soup With Mexican Cinnamon Creme Fraiche Recipes

MESA GRILL'S PUMPKIN SOUP WITH MEXICAN CINNAMON CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• Heat butter in a medium stockpot over medium heat.
• Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook until soft.
• Add the water and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain the stock into a clean medium saucepan and whisk in the pumpkin puree until smooth.
• Bring to a simmer and add 1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon, spices, honey and chipotle.
• Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add water, if the soup is too thick.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in 1/4 cup of the creme fraiche and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix together the remaining creme fraiche and remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon until combined.
• Garnish with the cinnamon creme fraiche and a handful of pumpkin seeds.

SPICY PUMPKIN SOUP WITH MEXICAN CREAM AND TOASTED PEPITAS

Steps:

• Whisk first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Cover; chill 2 hours. (Mexican cream can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes. Mix in pumpkin, milk and crushed red pepper. Working in batches, puree mixture in processor. Return to pot. Add broth; simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
• Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with cream. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• Put the pumpkin puree in a large saucepan, whisk in 3 cups of the stock, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cinnamon, Mexican cinnamon, allspice, cloves, honey, and maple syrup. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Whisk in up to 1 1/2 cups more stock if the soup is too thick. Remove from the heat and whisk in the crème fraîche. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a large dollop of the cranberry-maple crème fraîche and some of the pumpkin seeds and chives.
• Bring the cranberry juice to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the maple syrup and maple extract, and let cool to room temperature.
• Put the crème fraîche into a small bowl, add the cranberry mixture, and stir to combine. Season with salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day to allow the flavors to meld.

PUMPKIN SOUP WITH CINNAMON CREMA AND ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

Steps:

• 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, the ginger, allspice, nutmeg, honey, maple syrup, and chipotle puree. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Add more stock if the soup is too thick.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in cup of the crema and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix together the remaining cup crema and 1 teaspoon cinnamon until combined. Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with the cinnamon crema and sprinkle with the roasted pumpkin seeds and a little cinnamon.
• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (Makes 1 cup).
• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds.
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
• Kosher salt.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Toss the seeds with the oil and season with salt to taste. Spread the seeds evenly on a baking sheet and bake, tossing occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are lightly golden brown and crisp. Let cool. These can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container.