Another great Avocados From Mexico recipe from our friend Chef Victor Bongo! Look forward to more chef’s recipes in our Avocados From Mexico chef’s series. AND look forward to Chef Bongo’s new cookbook, Born to Cook, out soon!
Latin-Style Seared Scallops with Cornbread Cakes Mango Salsa, Avocado Mousse and Chipotle Aioli

Ingredients:
3 T Extra virgin olive oil
16 10/20 Scallops, thawed, cleaned and muscles removed.
TT Salt and black pepper
1 t Ground morita pepper
4 Cornbread cakes
3 T Mango salsa
6-8 T Chipotle aioli
1 cups Avocado mousse

Directions:
• Preheat oven to 400⁰F.
• Make sure the cornbread, avocado mouse, chipotle and mango salsa is made and ready. Than heat large frying pan on medium-high heat and add vegetable oil. While oil is heating up, pat the scallops dry with a paper towel, and season with salt, black pepper and morita pepper.
• Pan-sear scallops for 15 seconds on one side until golden brown, only do four at a time to keep the pan hot. Once finished, transfer scallops onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, bake for an additional 3 minutes in the oven. Set aside.

Plating: Place 4 plates and ½ teaspoon dots of avocado mousse on the plate and a piece of cornbread cake on top. Place ½ teaspoon of chipotle aioli on top of the cornbread, and top each with a seared scallop. Place ½ teaspoon of mango salsa on top of each scallop, garnish with some micro greens.

Avocado Mousse

Ingredients:
2 Avocados, ripened
½ cup Sour cream
1 T Heavy whipping cream
1 t Lime juice, freshly squeezed
TT Salt and black pepper
Yield:250ml

Directions:
• Cut both avocados in half, peel and remove piths.
• Place processed avocados into food processor. Add sour cream, whipping cream, lime juice, and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and store in fridge.

Cornmeal Cake
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup Cornmeal
1 t Salt
½ cup Milk, 2%
2 Eggs, large
1 t Baking soda
½ cup Vegetable oil
½ cup Sugar, white
½ cup Frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed

Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350⁰F.
• Mix all the ingredients and pour into a greased 8×8 inch baking dish, glass preferred. Bake until golden on top, test with a paring knife or tooth pick inserted into the center, approximately 20 minutes. It should come out clean, if it doesn’t, keep checking every 5-7 minutes. Once done, pull out of oven and let cool.
• Cut into round pieces using a 3-4 inch cookie cutter.
Yield:1lb

Chipotle Aioli
Ingredients:
½ cup Mayonnaise
2 t Chipotle pepper, chopped
TT Black peppercorn, ground
In a small bowl mix 2 ingredients together and season with ground black pepper to taste.

Yield:125ml

Mango Salsa
¼ cup Red onion, diced fine
¼ cup Red bell pepper, diced fine
¼ cup Yellow bell pepper, diced fine
¼ cup Roma tomato, diced fine
1 Ripe mango, diced fine
1 t Sambal Oelek
1 T Fresh cilantro, chopped
1 T Extra virgin olive oil
1 t Fresh lime juice
TT Salt and black pepper

In a medium sized bowl mix all ingredients in and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Yield:500ml
Yield: Serves 4

Pairing: Dry, medium bodied BC Pinot Gris. Loads of ripe stone fruits like peaches and apricots, along with a great natural acidity.

 

ABOUT CHEF VICTOR BONGO

Chef Victor Bongo gained his respectable reputation by challenging all culinary standards.  Chef Bongo’s culinary creations and expertise have landed him many awards.  From “Chef of the Year” four years in a row, Gold Medal as the Youngest accomplished Chef, by CCFC to an outstanding award of excellence from Chef’s Congress as one of The Top Ten Chefs in Canada.

Chef Bongo mentor is Chef Edmund Liew, a 3 star Michelin Chef is who Chef Bongo credits the foundation of his career.  His first book, “The Excellence of Chef Victor Bongo” provides readers a glimpse into the journey and path that became the creation of Chef Victor Bongo.

Chef Bongo has been recognized for his extraordinary work with children and the community.  He is dedicated to providing positive changes in the community and his home, Africa.  He is known for his work with Dr. Greg Chang of Super Chefs of the Universe, his devotion of prevention of childhood obesity and educating young children on the importance of nutrition.