Recipe - Lemon, Garlic Lamb Shoulder Chops

Lamb is notoriously hard to find in my local supermarkets. When I can find it, I'm usually not impressed with either the price or selection. I was pleased last week, though, after a lengthy hiatus from my regular store, that they had begun carrying lamb shoulder chops. They are a very tasty and economical cut from a lamb, so I snatched up a package. However, if you Google search 'lamb shoulder chop,' nearly all the recipes that come up will be for a regular lamb chop. So, if you ever run across this cut in your local grocery, I'll share how I cooked mine to save you the trouble of sifting through thousands of irrelevant recipes. I cooked this just for me, but it could easily be increased for more servings.

1 shoulder lamb chop
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Combine lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, and garlic in a shallow dish. Place the lamb in the lemon marinade and turn to cover both sides. Let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

In a medium skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. Remove lamb from marinade and dry with a paper towel, making sure to remove any garlic pieces. Reserve remaining marinade. Cook lamb 2-3 minutes per side for medium rare, 3-4 minutes for medium.

Remove cooked lamb from skillet and set aside. Add reserved marinade, scraping the bottom of the skillet to incorporate any lamb drippings. Allow to boil and reduce by about half. Pour over lamb and serve.