Sopa de flor de calabaza

Method

1. 1 Remove the stamens and the stiff stem of the pumpkin flower, keeping only the petals and the soft calyx.
2. 2 The flower pistils are left behind to make the soup bitter, so this cleaning step cannot be skipped.
3. 3 Sauté the onions and garlic in butter for 6 minutes, then add the zucchini and corn and stir-fry for 4 minutes.
4. 4 Pour in the vegetable broth and cook for 12 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
5. 5 Add the pumpkin flowers and cook for exactly 90 seconds, then turn off the heat; cooking them for too long will cause them to disintegrate into mushy strands.
6. 6 Add epazote and season with salt, then sprinkle with crumbled fresh cheese when serving.

With an appliance

• Microwave 36 min

  Replace step 4: place zucchini, corn, and broth in a partially covered bowl and microwave at 900W for 8 minutes; this is about 4 minutes shorter, allowing the vegetables to soften evenly without boiling. Keep the zucchini flowers in the pot on the stove for exactly 90 seconds to prevent the petals from becoming mushy.