It’s almost too easy to poke a little fun at super star celebrity chef Bobby Flay.

With that sweet baby-face and shy 12-year-old’s grin, it’s hard to take him seriously as he tries to get tough on Food Network’s “Throwdown.” He’s sort of that red-headed quiet kid from down the block that doesn’t belong among many of the other Food Network celebrity bobble heads, much less in a famed Manhattan kitchen as the executive chef.

But my opinion of Bobby Flay changed completely when my wife and I got to visit his Mesa Grill restaurant in Manhattan two years ago. I was astonished with the look and feel of the restaurant and the amazing food itself.

The outside of the restaurant was most subtle — no billboards or signs that advertise a Food Network star’s presence. We actually walked right by it without noticing when we first arrived.

Inside, the decor mimics the Southwestern flair of his food — cowboy paintings hang over vibrantly colored walls. The feel is casual, and ultimately, extremely comfortable.

I ordered the Sixteen-Spice Chicken with cilantro-pumpkin seed sauce and smoked red pepper sauce. Food critic and chef Anthony Bourdain once noted that the Sixteen Spice Chicken would have been fine with just four. I liked ‘em all. The chicken was all things perfect: juicy, spicy, sweet, smoky and even a little charred on top.

So imagine my excitement when I found Flay’s Mesa Grill cookbook under our Christmas tree this year. I wasted little time and cooked the Sixteen-Spice Chicken and paired it with garlic mashed potatoes. While mine wasn’t nearly as pretty as Bobby’s on the plate, with so many diverse flavors and elements in one dish, it’s hard to go too wrong.



Sixteen Spice Chicken with Cilantro Pumpkin Seed Sauce

• 2 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves, plus extra for garnish

• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted, plus extra for garnish

• 1 small shallot, coarsely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 1/2 cup spinach leaves, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon honey

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Four 8-ounce bone-in, skin on chicken breast halves

• 1/2 cup Sixteen-Spice Rub(recipe follows)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Smoked Red Pepper Sauce(optional, recipe follows)



Combine the cilantro, pumpkin seeds, shallot, garlic, vinegar,spinach, and 1/2 cup of water in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil and blend until emulsified. Add the honey and salt and pepper to taste.

The mixture should be a slightly loose sauce consistency; if it is too thick to pour, begin adding water 1tablespoon at a time. This can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Rub each breast with 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture. Heat the 2tablespoons olive oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat until almost smoking, Sauté the breasts, skin side down, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the breasts over and transfer thepan to the oven. Bake the chicken until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving topped with the cilantro-pumpkin seed sauce, red pepper sauce,pumpkin seeds, and cilantro.



Sixteen Spice Rub

Makes About 2 Cups

• 3 tbsp. ground cinnamon

• 3 tbsp. ancho chile powder

• 3 tbsp. pasilla chile powder

• 3 tbsp. ground cumin

• 3 tbsp. ground coriander

• 3 tbsp. ground ginger

• 3 tbsp. light brown sugar

• 2 tbsp. garlic powder

• 2 tbsp. onion powder

• 2 tbsp. kosher salt

• 2 tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper

• 1 tbsp. ground cloves

• 1 tbsp. ground fennel seeds

• 1 tbsp. ground allspice

• 1 tsp. chile de arbol

• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper.



Combine all ingredients. Store in airtight container for up to 6 months.



Smoked Red Pepper Sauce(optional)

Makes About 2 1/2 Cups

• 4 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped

• 1/2 small red onion, coarsely chopped

• 4 cloves roasted garlic, peeled*

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 1 tbsp. honey

• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp. chipotle chile puree*

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup canola oil.



Combine the red peppers, onion, garlic, vinegar, honey, mustard, and chipotle puree in a blender, season with salt and pepper, and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and blend until emulsified. Strain the sauce into a bowl. This sauce can be made a day in advance and refrigerated.



*Chile Puree

Place dried chiles in a bowl, pour boiling water on top, and let soak forabout 30 minutes, or until soft. Remove the chiles from the water and remove the stems and seeds, reserving the water. To puree them, place the chiles in food processor with a little of the soaking liquid and process until smooth. To make chipotle chile puree, empty the contents of a can of chipotles in adobo sauce into a food processor and process until smooth. Chile puree can be covered and stored for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Chipotle puree will last up to a month because of the vinegar in the adobo sauce.





*Roasting Garlic

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Separate the cloves of a head of garlic,but do not peel. Drizzle the cloves with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic securely in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour , until very soft. Squeeze the pulp from the skins, discarding the skins. Roasted garlic will keep covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.