Lamb Stew

We split a local lamb with friends Ron and Marilou this year and tonight I made our first supper from it.  I love lamb.  Unbeknownst to my brain, however, my fingers checked yes to the getting the lamb organs.  Ron and Marilou gave their lamb liver away to someone who likes it (according to Joy of Cooking, lamb liver is the most desirable; in my opinion, no liver is desirable).  After a little research, I decided to use the lamb heart along with the other lamb cubes in the Italian-Style Lamb Stew I made from Simply in Season. 

And I confess it here:  I did not tell my family there was lamb heart in the stew.  I guess I will find out now how often my husband reads my blog!  I was surprised to taste that the heart (I had chopped it smaller just in case it was gross - maybe it would disappear into the sauce if it was small, right?) tasted just like beef.  And really, the stew was delicious with rosemary, red wine, tomatoes, and white beans.   Everyone said so and had seconds.

I served the stew over pasta with bread to mop up the delicious sauce.  Ben garnished his stew with pomegranate arils, but the rest of us used grated parmesan. 

I like the warmth of a tablecloth in winter, but I extend its cleanliness by giving the children wipeable placemats.  Ben still sits on his booster, but he doesn't always wear a bib.  I usually get more exercised about a bib at breakfast when his clothing is clean.