The first problem is getting your hands on some decent dried chiles. Since Mexican is not a staple here, the local stores that do carry dried chiles often have lousy stocks. Much of the flavor is in essential oils that evaporate eventually. Generally, chileheads recommend using dried chiles less than six months old.

Filed under: Home cooking, Recipes, stews and chilis | No Comments »

The next time I came to Hermanos, I got the beef enchiladas again. I couldn’t figure out what had happened, and I wanted another shot. A co-worker ordered chicken nachos. Instead of chopped chicken breast with melted orange goop, he got corn chips covered with shreds of chicken cooked with spices, sauteed onions and jalapenos, and sizzling monterey jack and cheddar cheese.

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I was here for the ohjing uh bokum, squid sauteed in fiery-sweet chile sauce with vegetables ($9.95). Like lots of Korean food, it’s spiked with scallion, sesame oil and garlic, a combination that plays nicely together. It’s not brutally hot, but then again, I’ve been told my yardstick might be a little warped on that score.

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Made of a fermented lentil-rice batter, the dosa straddles the border between crispy and chewy. Its size, some two or three feet across, gives the eater plenty of time to ponder the right adjectives.

Filed under: Amherst, Restaurants, frying, vegan & veg, vegetables | No Comments »

I melted butter, added brown sugar and dijon mustard, and slathered the salmon hunks. Slid them onto my Weber, with all the lit coals scooped to the other side. Dropped a few hickory chips onto the heat, and closed the lid. (I parked the fillets on strips of aluminum foil so I didn’t have to worry about whether the fish stuck to the grate.)

Filed under: Home cooking, Recipes, seafood | 1 Comment »

Chicken tenders, marinated in garlic powder, oregano, black pepper and perhaps other spices, grilled, and served alongside (or atop) Greek salad - lettuce, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta cheese and Greek viniagrette. Toasted pita bread alongside.

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The other day we decided to have coconut grilled shrimp, a simple marinade of garlic, curry, salt and coconut milk that caramelizes gently over the coals. It’s on their canonical list, and even puts them to work.

Filed under: Home cooking, Recipes, appetizers, grilling, kids cooking, seafood | 3 Comments »

The liquid gets thickened as starch cooks out of the potatoes. The slices are half-cooked but nicely flavored. (Watch out if you’re using a small pot - like anything with cream, it wants to boil over and flood your stove.) It’s mighty fine as is, but you can add a dimension by throwing in a whack of your favorite cheese, sauteed mushrooms or hmmm, bacon.

Filed under: Home cooking, Recipes, cheese, vegetables | No Comments »

There is no getting around it: Sample serves the smallest portions of food I have ever seen for sale. Sample’s bites are smaller than sushi and even dearer. Buying its offerings by the half-dozen and nine-piece isn’t as expensive, but individual pieces run $1.75 to $3.50. Still, I will give Sample this: They are tasty.

Filed under: Buffalo, Restaurants, Uncategorized, appetizers | 6 Comments »

The pork chop noodle soup at Gin Gin is one of the standout choices on a menu that features gems among an ocean of unremarkable food.

Filed under: Amherst, Restaurants | 3 Comments »