ao a tutti! I am writing to you from beautiful Vittorio Veneto, Italy, the birthplace of my husband Ugo. A quick orientation if I may, Vittorio Veneto is a small town 30 minutes from Venice at the foot of the Italian Alps, nestled in a rolling green valley with grape vines, wheat fields and sheep. Yes, sheep! Large sections of Italy, both in the mountainous north and the highlands of the south, are much better suited to sheep than they are to cattle. Italians have been tending flocks for thousands of years and have prepared lamb every conceivable way. This week’s recipe is actually from my Southern Italian roots, Calabria. Agnello alla Calabrese” ( lamb Calabrese style) is a simple but colourful, and very Mediterranean, way of preparing lamb. It starts with a rack of lamb cut into their respective chops, pounded and delicately fried in x-virgin olive oil so they are just pink in the middle.

What makes this dish interesting and different is the garnish, which is actually a medley of southern Italian vegetables and fish. It starts with perfectly roasted and prepared sweet coloured peppers, plus grilled zucchini or eggplant and pan-fried mushrooms.