Try locally raised Desert Weyr Black Welsh Mountain Sheep or Bad Rabbit Farm (Icelandic sheep) for excellent-tasting heritage mutton and lamb. Both can be sourced at www.freshandwyld.com.

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 to 8 locally raised chops cut ¾ to 1 inch
thick
Coarse sea salt or kosher salt and black
pepper
3 shallots, peeled and quartered
Sprig of rosemary
2 tablespoons balsamic or sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon nama shoyu (very good,
unpasturized soy sauce!)
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon butter, olive oil or bacon fat

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or heavy bottomed sauté pan over mediumhigh heat. Season the chops with salt and pepper and add to pan with shallots and rosemary sprig. Brown on both sides, stir shallots and finish in the oven if large chops were used, about 10 minutes for medium-rare and 13 minutes for medium.

Remove chops from the pan.

Heat pan on stovetop over medium heat. Add vinegar and soy. Cook for just a minute. Add chili powder and honey. Turn off heat and discard rosemary. Whisk in butter and serve immediately over chops.