Sunday dinner: Lamb ragout + stuffed squash blossoms

I've been enamoured with the idea of lamb over the last year for its foodie street credibility. Its gamey flavor is something I used to shy away from because it always tasted too strong and overpowering for my liking. But, when done well with the right blend of spices and herbs to augment its flavor, I've discovered that lamb can be uh-MAZ-ing. And since living in the Midwest, practically the capital of all things meat, I've found quite a few options for perfectly delicious lamb entrees, including Market, David Burke's Primehouse, and even an Indian restaurant. Boneless leg of lamb, rack of lamb, curried lamb, you name it, we've got it and it's almost always very well done anywhere I've ordered it in Chicago. That's Midwest love (of food), baby!

Today I decided to do one of my weekend cooking marathons. In the spirit of fall, I made comfort foods like Lamb Ragout, Stuffed Squash Blossoms, Late Summer Mirai Corn, and a Cabbage and Sausage Casserole. The Fella and I invited over a new neighbor for dinner, and he claimed my cooking was as good as his mom's, so that's flattering! I've never experimented with squash blossoms before, but they turned out delicious when quickly floured and fried. They might very well be my new favorite food obsession.

{ prepping for Lamb Ragout, shallots, garlic, carrots, rosemary, thyme }

{ New Zealand ground lamb from Whole Foods }

{ fresh-picked squash blossoms }

{ the finished product, Squash Blossoms stuffed with fresh ricotta cheese,
minced garlic, lemon-thyme, and kosher salt and pepper }

{ the finished product, Lamb Ragout with Rigatoni, served with Sweet Mirai Corn }

Here's the recipe for Lamb Ragout, courtesy of A Chow Life–

2 small shallots, diced finely
1 medium carrot, finely shredded
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp fresh chopped thyme
1/2 tsp fresh chopped rosemary
3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 lb. ground lamb
1 can (28 oz) diced organic tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp unsalted butter
sea salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
1 lb rigatoni or other pasta of your choice

In a large pan, heat the garlic and olive oil over medium heat until just fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the shallots, carrots, thyme, red pepper flakes, and rosemary and cook until wilted and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the lamb meat and cook until brown with no remaining pink parts of the meat, about 10-15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste.

Simmer the mixture over low heat for about 15 minutes to help combine the flavors.

In the meantime, boil the noodles in a large pot of well-salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Add the cooking water to the lamb ragout along with the pat of butter. Stir. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over warm pasta.