Learn to Render Lard and Make Duck Confit at the Hill Center This Month

If one of your New Year resolutions is to become a better cook, then the Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital might be the place for you.

This month, the community center at 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE will offer a variety of cooking classes to delight your inner foodie.

On Jan. 15 and 29, Gérard Pangaud, a 2-star Michelin chef, will teach how to make a classic French dinner of three courses: endive, avocado, beet and goat cheese salad; macaroni and cheese with duck confit and wild mushrooms; and his mother’s chocolate cake.

On Jan. 16, Chef Wendi James will take you through making some favorite Thai dishes: green papaya salad, chicken satay with peanut sauce, beef in red curry with rambutan and broccoli, and coconut bananas.

On Jan. 17, Jose Adorno of  the 6th Street NW restaurant Graffiato will explore Italian-inspired cooking. The menu will include a carpaccio duo, Caesar salad, roasted cauliflower, roasted red snapper, hand-tossed pan pizzas and coconut ginger flan.

The January offerings will wrap up with Bill Schindler, an associate professor of anthropology and archaeology at Washington College. He will teach how to best use animal fats in your cooking. Participants will learn how to make butter, render lard, roast marrow bones to make marrow butter, make goose confit and make the salumi called lardo.

The class costs range from $65 to $85 per person. Those who are interested can register at hillcenterdc.org.

Photo via Flickr/adactio