Mexico in L.A. : Dressed Up and Toned Down

“In South America,” Jose Carlos Zorilla says, “cooking was not regarded as acceptable work for a man.” So when the Peruvian-born, Texas-educated chef went to work in Mexico City, he led a double life. He had a full-time career in the financial field--and he catered on the side.

When Zorrilla moved to the United States, he continued the same pattern; he worked. He catered. And then a few months ago, he decided to open a restaurant in Torrance.

The menu is Italian because that is “more accepted in the American culture,” he says. But Zorilla has filled his new restaurant, Pastaccini, with his art collection, which includes pre-Columbian textiles and masks from Oaxaca. And for the next few months, during the Los Angeles celebration of Mexican arts and culture, Zorrilla will add Mexican specialties to his menu.

But these are Mexican foods with a difference. Zorilla does not cook traditional dishes, but rather his own interpretation of the cuisine.

When Zorrilla goes to East Los Angeles, he snacks in taquerias and comes home with mole paste and other ingredients. But in his own dishes the strong flavors of Mexican condiments become muted. Zorrilla might dilute mole paste with chicken stock or combine cilantro, dark Mexican beer and cream in a light sauce for fettuccine.

Cornish game hens flecked with pasilla chile paste are presented on an ornate sauce that incorporates chiles, walnuts, cheese and bread. He’ll flavor avocado soup with orange zest and tequila, or add a touch of chile to pumpkin soup. And Zorilla’s idea of a cheese empanada is to wrap Oaxaca cheese and epazote in puff pastry.

Even his desserts are different. Instead of serving a straightforward dish of chongos Zamoranos-- milk curds in syrup--he’ll process the curds with cream for a crepe filling. Or he’ll tuck pears under a custard-like mixture of cajeta, a soft Mexican caramel, beaten eggs and Cognac, and finish the dish with a sprinkle of walnuts.

“I love to create new dishes using Mexican flavors,” he says.

FETTUCCINE AL CILANTRO

2 cups cilantro leaves

3/4 cup chicken stock

3 tablespoons butter

4 shallots, minced

1/2 cup dark Mexican beer

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 cup whipping cream

1 pound cooked fresh fettuccine

Combine cilantro and chicken stock in food processor or blender and puree. Heat butter in saucepan. Add shallots and saute lightly. Add beer. Boil mixture until reduced to about 3 tablespoons. Add cilantro mixture and cumin.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce again and add cream. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, then pour sauce over pasta. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

CODORNICES EN SALSA DE NUEZ Y CHILE PASILLA (Game Hens in Nut and Chile Pasilla sauce)

4 or 5 dried pasilla chiles

1 cup water

1/4 cup soft butter

4 game hens

Salt, pepper

8 slices white bread, crusts removed

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely diced

1 tablespoon crushed garlic

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup minced walnuts

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 kalamata olives

2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced

Boil chiles in water until tender. Drain. Remove stems and seeds from chiles and puree in blender. There will be about 1/2 cup chile paste.

Brush each game hen with 1 tablespoon butter and about 1 tablespoon chile paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Soak bread in milk, then mash with fork to puree. Heat olive oil in heavy saucepan. Add onion and garlic and saute slowly until very brown but not burned. Add remaining chile paste and cook 1 minute. Add bread mixture and cook 15 minutes, adding chicken stock gradually to obtain heavy sauce consistency. Incorporate walnuts and cheese.

Spoon sauce onto each plate and place game hen on top. Garnish with olives and hard-cooked egg slices. Makes 4 servings.

PERAS A LA CAJETA (Pears With Cajeta)

2 (16-ounce) cans pears in heavy syrup

2 cups cajeta

4 eggs

1/4 cup Cognac

1 cup finely diced walnuts

Drain pears, reserving 3/4 cup syrup. Place pears in buttered baking dish. Mix cajeta with pear syrup, egg yolks and Cognac. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and carefully fold into cajeta mixture. Pour mixture over pears and sprinkle with walnuts. Bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes. Makes 8 servings.