The Lederman Kitchen

Although summer was pretty much non-existent here in Dublin, we definitely feel autumn settling in quickly.  The mornings are getting colder and the days shorter. Scarfs and gloves are becoming a necessary and like any day in Ireland, an umbrella is always at arms reach. Sunday, Brian decided to make Irish Beef and Guinness Stew, with soda bread.  It was delicious and a perfect way to warm up on a chilly evening.  Today the forecast was a high of 49°F, so leftovers were welcomed tonight. Irish Beef & Guinness Stew with soda bread. Ingredients: ~15 peral onions, peeled 2 carrots, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 parsnip, chopped 1.5 cups potatoes, chopped 1 pound stewing beef 16oz can of Guinness 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 14oz can diced tomatoes 1 cup of beef stock 2 bay leaves Fresh thyme salt and pepper olive oil First prepare all the veggies. Carrots, celery, onions and parsnip - all ready to go Add carrots, celery,...

I'm a big Cobb Salad fan, but I've never made it at home before.  I typically spend $15 for the salad all over town.  My version at home was just as good as the restaurant staple and costs half as much. For a delicious dinner for two: 1 head of lettuce (I used Romaine) 4 strips of thick cut bacon 1 tomato About 1 cup of croutons 1 avocado 2 green onions 2 eggs 1 cup of cooked, chopped chicken 1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese For the dressing: 1 shallot 1 garlic clove 1 tablespoon of dijon 1 tablespoon of vinegar (White Wine, Red Wine, or Champagne all work well) 1 tablespoons of olive oil This is just a salad so it should be super simple.  Start by hard boiling the eggs and cooking the bacon.  Stack the bacon and cut into strips.     While the eggs and bacon cook, chop up the rest of the ingredients.  I used some leftover roasted chicken, but you can just buy a rotisserie chicken or grab a fe...

It's been cold here in the City.  After a long holiday weekend in Portland with the in laws, I didn't feel like fussing over a big dinner.  Beef stew was a great one pot option.  It's comfort food at it's finest and perfect for a cold winter day. For some serious stew, enough for 4 people: 2 lbs of steak (I used stew meat, it's readily available at the butcher counter this time of year) 2 onions I also used cippolini onions, but they're optional. Just peal and leave whole, they get super soft and sweet. 5 carrots (about 1 lb) 1lb of fingerling potatoes 1 lb of crimini mushrooms 1 bottle of red wine 3 cloves of garlic 2 cups (or more) of stock -  Beef is traditional, but I had homemade turkey stock on hand that I used. 2 tablespoons of flour 4 tablespoons of butter  1 tablespoon of thyme Olive oil Salt and Pepper This is a great Sunday dinner.  It's simple to make, but like most soups or braises, it just takes a wh...

Well there's still no snow falling in the mountains but it sure is cold here in the City.  Well, it was cold when I cooked the soup at least, not necessarily when this was posted...  We've really been enjoying our Williams Sonoma Weeknight Cookbook and found this super simple recipe for a delicious and nutritious Italian White Bean Soup. You will need: 2 tablespoons of olive oil 3 oz diced pancetta 1 yellow onion 2 carrots 2 cloves of garlic 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano (I also added 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme) 1 tablespoon of tomato paste 4 cups of chicken stock   2 (14.5 ounce) cans of cannellini beans 2 cups of baby spinach salt and pepper Italian parsley and parmesan cheese for garnish Start by giving the veggies a nice chop.  Dice up the pancetta as well.  You can find pancetta at the Whole Foods deli counter.  I just ask the guys to give me a chunk instead of slicing it, that way I can dice t...

A few years ago Michelle and I had the best stuffed calamari dish at Boulevard .  I have been seriously craving it ever since.  After making the stuffed game hens last month I thought "what else can I stuff?"  (feel free to insert your own joke here...).  While it was not the same as Boulevard, it was delicious nonetheless.  I paired the calamari with some super simple sauteed veggies to round out the meal. For a delicious dinner for 2, you will need: For the stuffing:  2/3 cup wild rice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 small red onion 1/3 cup drained dried tomatoes packed in oil (about 2 1/2 ounces) 1 shallot 1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves 8 ounces of sausage (I used bulk pork sausage from the Whole Foods meat counter) For the rest: 8 calamari 3 cups of spinach 1/2 red onion 1 clove of garlic 3 cups of sliced mushrooms 1 drop of dry white wine (maybe 1/4 cup) juice of 1/2 a lemon olive oil salt and pepper ...