Thursday, Feb. 07, 08

Cross-Cultural Distinctions

La Cofradia fuses Peruvian flavors into classic cuisine

By Mark Goldberg

Duck Magret

What can you do with mussels to make them different? If you’re Jean Paul Desmaison, chef/owner of La Cofradia in Coral Gables, you look toward your Peruvian roots, swap out red wine for white, add bacon, toss in some carbs in the form of garbanzo beans and — believe it or not — add some collard greens. Hit the mix with yellow chilies for an unexpected fire. Then add the sweetest, plumpest mussels you can find. Steamed Mussels ($17) was just one delicious example of what Desmaison has added to update his already-quality menu for the winter season.

La Cofradia is now two years old, and the stylish Peruvian/Mediterranean restaurant is better than ever. Desmaison trained at Cordon Bleu Peru, but he’ll tell you that a major source of his talent was his mother, and that he finds himself returning to the flavors of his childhood. While those flavors may be inspired by the past, their creation is one step ahead of the here and now.

Grilled Baby Octopus ($16) can be tough, and maybe that’s why so many folks prefer calamari. Desmaison boils his octopus first, before painting it with olive oil and grilling. The boiling makes it tender, while the grilling gives its exterior a delicate crunch. Adding color and Peruvian flavor to the shellfish is a Tuscan ragout that includes tomatoes, capers, olives and onions, all of which marinates for eight hours before it hits the sauté pan. Slow Braised Pork and Grapes ($12) is an entrée-sized appetizer that was birthed from the concept of chicharrones — only instead of crispy-frying, the pork is slow-braised for hours with a reduction of sugar, stock, cinnamon, cloves and a healthy hit of pisco. The result is a soft and tender, sweet and sour dish. The Stuffed Mozzarella ($12) is quite creative, with two layers of the warm cheese beneath a Panko dome. Sandwiched between them are thin slices of prosciutto, enhanced with basil and a homemade confit of tomatoes. The dish is served in a golden saffron sauce. It sounds heavy, but it’s surprisingly light.

Yes, Duck Magret ($36) sounds French. But when the moist slices of seared, tender duck breast are splashed with a Peruvian sauco sauce — similar to a sweet-and-sour blackberry gastrique — they take on a whole new personality. Alongside the duck is a cheesy potato gratin, made with gruyere and parmesan. Pan-Seared Black Grouper ($34) should be a new signature dish. Prepared in a sour orange escabeche sauce with onions, vinegar and yellow chilies, the fish sets off fireworks on the taste buds, not because it’s fiery, but because it’s alive with flavor. It is complemented by a bed of roasted yuca yellow chili mash. Okay, the Osso Bucco ($38) isn’t really Peruvian. The major difference from the norm is the substitution of white wine for red. Yet the meat is beautifully fork-tender, the flavor of the vegetable gremolata shines through and the only thing missing is a marrow fork! On the other hand, the Seared Ahi Tuna ($34) is all Peruvian. Desmaison began with the idea of a heavy steak dish in Lima that features pumpkin and spun it 180 degrees, replacing the pumpkin with a light butter squash puree. The tuna is thick-cut and enhanced with a dark sauce made with fish stock, chopped cilantro and cilantro oil.

Desserts ($10 each) are all unique. Try the light Fig & Apple Tart with maple ice cream, or the Pistachio Terrine with its toasted pistachio-and-milk-chocolate arch spiced with sweet rocoto chili coulis. Even the Tiramisu, something usually as standard as pasta in Pisa, had its own distinctiveness; it’s boxed in by a delectable chocolate ganache.

La Cofradia just keeps getting better.

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