If your meal repertoire needs some jazzing up, the time is now to plan for learning new recipes and techniques. Kapiolani Community College’s Public Culinary Series starts its spring lineup of cooking classes on Jan. 20 with a class devoted to creative, easy pasta sauces and another featuring heart-healthy Valentine’s treats — never too early to get ready, right?
As the season continues you’ll find classes on knife skills, condiments, eggs, chicken, rice, breads, pies and even ice cream.
Classes will be held at several locations: the new Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head and KCC’s ‘Ohia and ‘Ohelo buildings. To enroll, visit continuinged.kapiolani.hawaii.edu/culinary and click on “Spring Cooking Classes.”
Here’s the schedule:
JANUARY
>> Pasta Masta (9 a.m. to noon Jan. 20, CIP 200, $92): Chef Fortuna Cooley shares an array of pasta sauces that are easy and big on flavor.
>> Heart-Healthy Valentine’s Treats (1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 20, CIP 200, $92): Vegetarian chef Alyssa Moreau offers heart-friendly desserts such as cherry chocolate truffles and vegan chocolate cake.
>> Tonno (9 a.m. to noon Jan. 27, CIP 200, $92): Chef Salvo Coppola, a personal chef for Princess Caroline of Monaco for 24 years, teaches various ways to prepare bluefin tuna, including tuna alla calabrese and stuffed peppers with tuna.
>> Quick Breads (8 a.m. to noon Jan. 27, ‘Ohelo 203, $99): KCC pastry arts instructor Dan Wetter covers recipes and techniques that deliver light and flaky delights such as scones, biscuits, pain au chocolat and yeast-raised muffins.
FEBRUARY
>> Chinese Chicken (9 a.m. to noon Feb. 3, ‘Ohia 109/112, $92): Hong Kong born and raised, Aaron Chau focuses on go-to Chinese recipes that start with Taiwanese style “three cup” chicken and include authentic Sichuan kung pao chicken.
>> Valentine’s Day (9 a.m. to noon Feb. 10, ‘Ohelo 203, $95): This class, led by patisserie/confiserie chef-instructor David Brown, centers on treats that will make the heart pitter-patter, such as handmade chocolate, macarons and more.
>> Uova (9 a.m. to noon Feb. 17, CIP 200, $92): Chef Salvo Coppola spotlights the egg with his favorite Italian egg dishes — simple, healthy and tasty — including Italian egg drop soup (stracciatella), eggs in garlic sauce and a special Easter frittata.
>> Laminated Doughs (8 a.m. to noon Feb. 17 and 24, ‘Ohelo 203, $140): Bread master Dan Wetter teaches students to create flaky doughs made with layers of butter. This two-Saturday class covers puff pastry, croissants, danishes and more.
>> Fabulous Fish (9 a.m. to noon Feb. 24, CIP 200, $92): Chef Fortuna Cooley shares how to make a smoky fish bagel burger with dill cream cheese, a mahimahi wrap with peanut sauce, and pan-fried fish “Mediterranean.”
MARCH
>> Riso (9 a.m. to noon March 3, CIP 200, $92): In some regions of Italy, rice is the most common starch. Chef Salvo Coppola demonstrates Sicilian timballo di riso (stuffed and molded baked rice), rice balls in soup and more.
>> The Whirled is Flat (9 a.m. to noon March 3, ‘Ohelo 203, $95): Chef David Brown’s popular flat bread class covers Neopolitan thin pizza; pillowy Pugliese-style focaccia stuffed with kim chee and cheese; and grilled naan with potato filling.
>> Knife Skills (1 to 4 p.m. March 3, CIP 200, $77): In his popular class, chef Grant Sato explains the uses of various knives and demonstrates cuts for home cooks. Students will practice under his watchful eye.
>> The Simple Pleasures (9 a.m. to noon March 10, CIP 200, $92): Learn how a few ingredients can deliver delicious foods with chef Fortuna Cooley. The lineup: sushi “burritos,” Thai basil chicken bowls and Korean beef lettuce wraps.
>> Rich Doughs (8 a.m. to noon March 10 and 17, ‘Ohelo 203, $140): Chef Dan Wetter delves into doughs with lots of butter, sugar and yeast via this two-part class. Learn to make cinnamon rolls, kouign amann and the chef’s malasadas.
>> La Cuisine Bourgeoise (9 a.m. to noon March 24, CIP 200, $92): Learn French home cooking with chef Salvo Coppola, who shares a lineup of simple dishes, such as leeks in vinaigrette, artichoke with aioli and compound butter for fish in papillote.
>> Green Easter (1 to 4 p.m. March 24, CIP 200, $92): Chef Alyssa Moreau features a full spring menu that’s creative, vegetarian and delicious: pea mint bisque and asparagus mushroom quiche, plus more.
APRIL
>> Interesting Chicken (9 a.m. to noon April 7, CIP 200, $95): Chef Fortuna Cooley keeps chicken recipes lively with hoisin chili chicken tacos and bacon- brown sugar-garlic chicken. Learn how to make them.
>> Cooking Local — Corn (1 to 4 p.m. April 7, CIP 200, $97): Get the scoop on bringing out the best of Hawaii’s sweet corn from chef Grant Sato, who will feature corn fritters with corn salsa and a chopped corn and crab salad.
>> Sourdough 101 (8 a.m. to noon April 14, ‘Ohelo 203, $97): Veteran bread baker Heatherly Bucher explores wild yeast and teaches how to make your own sourdough starter to take home, plus easy ways to use it — no-knead sourdough bread, focaccia and a simple sourdough chocolate vegan cake.
>> One Pot Meals (1 to 4 p.m. April 14, CIP 200, $92): Alyssa Moreau shares vegetarian one-pot wonders that are hearty and full of flavor, including butternut squash chipotle chili and a West African peanut soup with polenta croutons.
>> Au Bistrot (9 a.m. to noon April 21, CIP 200, $92): Comfort foods of French bistros are the focus of this class led by chef Salvo Coppola, namely shallot “tarte tatin” with salad, a pork blanquette served with a white sauce, plus more.
>> Cooking Local — Andagi (1 to 4 p.m. April 21, CIP 200, $97): Chef Grant Sato shares his never-fail recipe for the classic Okinawan treat and expands upon it with chocolate and matcha andagi. A bonus: andagi battered bananas.
>> Texas Pies (8 a.m. to noon April 28, ‘Ohelo 203, $97): Heather Bucher starts with the basics of flaky pie pastry and continues with four Texas classics: pecan slab pie, buttermilk chess pie, chocolate cream pie and fruit hand pies.
>> Good Morning (1 to 4 p.m. April 28, CIP 200, $92): Chef Alyssa Moreau will show you how to make vegetarian breakfast dishes — oat date scones, oatmeal ginger banana muffins, carrot cake breakfast cookie and a vegan tofu omelet.
MAY
>> You Scream Ice Cream (9 a.m. to noon May 5, ‘Ohelo 203, $95): Cool desserts are the focus of chef David Brown’s class, namely mocha mac nut mud pie, classic Tahitian vanilla ice cream and the chef’s special sour cream strawberry ice cream. Bring a cooler to class to take home your desserts.
>> Condiments and Sliders (1 to 4 p.m. May 5, CIP 200, $97): Chef Grant Sato shares his favorite homemade sauces, spreads and preserves. Students will make fresh tomato ketchup, Maui onion jam, lilikoi butter and more.
