Lamb with lemon

There has been much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the last couple of years over the price of lamb, but it is worth noting that if we select the less popular cuts, it is still possible to make a nutritious meal for the family without wrecking the budget.
This week's recipe uses shoulder chops. It would work just as well with similarly inexpensive neck chops. Both have more fat than their upmarket cutlet cousins, but this keeps them deliciously moist and contributes to their rustically appealing flavour.
4 lamb shoulder chops
4 Tbsps plain flour
salt and white pepper
3 Tbsps pure olive oil
leaves of 1 rosemary sprig, chopped
1 small chilli, deseeded, chopped
2 cloves garlic, flattened, chopped
juice and rind 1 lemon
up to a cup and a half chicken stock
1x 390g tin cannelloni beans
Trim the shoulder chops to remove excess fat, but don't be too fussy. Season the flour and coat chops with it. Heat the oil in a pan and brown the chops. While they cook, make a chunky paste from the rosemary, chilli, garlic, lemon rind and juice. Roughly smear this  on both sides of the chops, then pour half a cup of the stock around the edge of the pan. Cover and cook on a very low heat for an hour and a half.
Keep the extra stock warm and use it bit by bit during the cooking time, using it to carefully baste the chops so they don't dry out. They are cooked when the meat is so tender it falls off the bone. Stir in cannelloni beans with some of their juice and cook another 10 minutes, then serve.
Serves 4
 
Wine match
 
 
The velvet-smooth texture of the slow-cooked meat calls for a red wine with gentle tannins, and that leads us in to pinot noir. Add lemon juice into the equation, and we are looking for a wine from the country's deep south, because cold weather adds a dash of
refreshing acid to the finish. Many Central Otago pinots sell for $50 and up, but one from a new name on the wine scene can be found in the mid-$20s. Kurow Village Pinot Noir 2008 comes from the country's newest wine region, Waitaki Valley in the central South Island. The typically varietal "forest floor'' character behind aromas that suggest ripe plums is a promising introduction, and the sweet-fruited flavour continues the good impression. The hint of leanness on the finish might keep it out of medal contention, but it's just what we need because it ties in nicely with the lemon.