Owners Ann and George Hartley moved back to the Panhandle from Dallas, Texas in the 1990′s to be close to family and where Ann was raised. They became the owners of Seagrove Village MarketCafe, and later expanded their enterprise with the addition of George’s at Alys Beach. With Coastal Tex-Mex night receiving rave reviews at Seagorve Village MarketCafe that showcased some of Ann and George’s popular recipes, La Cocina in Seacrest Beach was conceived and brought to life. La Cocina features healthy, delicious local and organic ingredients, on its classic “tex mex with a coastal twist” menu, and Chef Ben is in the kitchen creating new and delicious features like the Seared Scallops on Agave Poblano Cornbread with Rajas Con Creme! After visiting La Cocina for the first time, you’ll understand why it’s so popular with both visitors and locals alike!
To view La Cocina’s menu, click here >http://www.lacocina30a.com/pages/menus.html
Founding Member of Gulf Coast Restaurants.com
Recipe:
Seared Scallops on Agave Poblano Cornbread with Rajas Con Creme
Serves 6-8 people
Corn Bread:
Use 2 cups cornbread mix. Any will do. 30A EATS likes Martha White.
Follow directions on the box/bag for that amount of mix.
Substitute agave nectar for any needed sugar. 30A EATS prefers to omit this step.
Substitute buttermilk for any needed milk or water.
Preparation:
Note: 30A EATS Cornbread recipe: Put 2 tablespoons bacon grease in hot cast iron pan and place in oven at 425 degrees. In a separate bowl mix 1 cup Martha White (white) corn meal with 1/4 tsp sea salt. In another bowl add 1 medium egg and mix with 1/2-3/4 cup buttermilk. Add wet to dry and mix. Add to hot pan with grease, return to oven, and bake 25 minutes till light golden brown.
See below to add additional La Cocina ingredients to wet mixture prior to putting mixture in loaf pan to bake. Double the cornbread recipe if needed to accommodate additional ingredients.
Add these additional ingredients to the mix ingredients before adding to hot pan:
½ cup diced roasted poblano peppers
½ cup diced roasted red peppers
Corn (fresh cut kernels off of a one full ear)
½ cup queso fresco
Bake in a loaf pan (sprayed with pam or buttered) per the directions.
Allow to cool and slice in 1/2 inch thick slices like bread.
Crema:
2 cups sour cream
1 cup roasted red peppers (sliced julienne)
1 cup roasted poblano peppers (sliced julienne)
½ tsp chicken consume
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp black pepper
Preparation:
Heat sour cream in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add peppers, consume, cumin & pepper. Stir often, and once hot, remove from heat.
Scallops:
2 lb scallops
1 Teaspoon vegetable oil
1 Teaspoon butter
½ bunch of green onions
Preparation:
Dry the scallops by placing on a paper towel to remove moisture. Place a nonstick sauté pan on the stove on medium high heat and when hot, add 1 teaspoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of butter to the pan. The oil allows the butter to have a higher viscosity so it won’t burn. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and place in the pan. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes per side, only touching to flip.
Toast the cornbread slices in a pan with a little butter to reheat and place on plate. Place seared scallops on top of cornbread and top with crema.
Garnish with fresh green onion, sliced in slivers.
