JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM 'Iolani School parent volunteers Caroline Murayama, left, and Lima Harbottle prepared a batch of Chex Mix Saturday in the school cafeteria. CLICK FOR LARGE

'Iolani School shares classic recipes from yearly fair

» Almond cookies and more from the fair

YES, THERE will be entertainment and games at the 'Iolani Fair, but with all the cooking going on, you'd think they were building a restaurant out there on the Moiliili campus.

This year's theme is "Fiesta Fever," a natural inspiration for casual dining. A new Café Ole will offer plates of tamales, burritos and chicken fajitas, along with a taco salad and the almost scary-sounding El Plato Grandisimo that incorporates everything.

The school's Spanish Club will "meet and greet" at the cafe.

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Containers of cookies are stacked and ready for sale. CLICK FOR LARGE

Featured dishes include:

» Chinese Chicken Salad from Roy's Restaurants

» California Cobb Salad from Nieman Marcus

» Made-to-order-salad by Chef Goran Streng

» Chocolate Pyramids from J.J. French Pastries

» Guava Lilikoi Chiffon Cake by Chef Mark Okamura of New Stage restaurant

» Pulled pork wrap and flan by Adriana Torres Chong of Kapiolani Community College

» Apple Cobbler from Sam Choy's Breakfast, Lunch and Crab

Cooking demonstrations at the Le Gourmet tent:

5:15 p.m. Friday: Kevin Henney of 12th Avenue Grill; Braised Short Ribs with Cinnamon and Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

7:15 p.m. Friday: Don Maruyama of Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar; Lobster, Crab and Shrimp Ravioli

7:15 p.m. Saturday: Ronnie Nasuti of Roy's Restaurant; Teriyaki-Grilled Monchong

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Thousands of boiled peanuts were sorted and packaged by volunteers on Saturday. CLICK FOR LARGE

NOW FOR the recipes. Here are three 'Iolani classics served year after year at the fair. They've been reduced for home cooking.

Huli Beef

» Dry rub:
1 cup Hawaiian salt
2 tablespoons rosemary
2 tablespoons dried thyme

Combine dry rub ingredients.

Cut slits in beef with knife and insert garlic cloves. Rub all over with sesame oil. Sprinkle with dry rub ingredients (use just enough to cover) and rub into meat. Let marinate overnight or one full day.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roast until desired doneness is reached. Slice and serve on rolls. Serves 20.

Pickled Mango

» Sauce:
1 quart white vinegar
1-1/2 quarts water
1 tablespoon Hawaiian salt
4-1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons li hing powder (optional)
3/4 teaspoon five-spice (optional)

Peel and slice mangoes, discarding seeds.

Combine sauce ingredients and bring to simmer; stirring to dissolve sugar and spices. Cool to room temperature.

Soak mango slices in sauce 3 to 5 days.

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Angel Hamada packaged kim chee to be sold at the fair. CLICK FOR LARGE

Kim Chee

» Sauce:
1/2 cup mochiko
2 cups water
2 cups salted baby shrimp
1/2 cup chopped ginger
1/2 cup crushed garlic
3 to 4 cups Korean chili pepper powder

Sprinkle won bok with salt, putting more on the white stalks. Sprinkle with water and let soak 3 to 4 hours. Rinse and squeeze out water. Cut into smaller pieces.

Meanwhile, make sauce: Mix mochiko with water in saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until thickened. Cool.

Combine mochiko mixture with salted shrimp, ginger, garlic and chili pepper and let sit two hours.

Combine sauce with won bok, daikon and watercress. Let soak 2 hours before eating. Store in jars in refrigerator. Makes about 1 gallon.