Vitello Tonnato
Indulge in tender veal topped with a creamy tuna sauce—a classic Italian dish that’s simply irresistible.
Ingredients
- 800 g veal rump
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 dl olive oil
- 160 g tuna in oil, drained
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1 lemon
- 1 dl cooking water from the veal
- 2 tbsp cold water
How to make it
- Put the veal in a pot, cover it with water, add the bay leaves, black peppercorns and salt, and bring it just to a gentle simmer. Cook quietly for about 45 minutes, until the meat feels tender but still holds its shape.
- Lift out the veal and let it rest for 10 minutes on a board. Strain and keep 1 dl of the cooking water.
- Whisk the egg yolks with 2 tbsp cold water, then add the olive oil in a thin steady stream until you have a thick mayonnaise.
- Put the tuna, anchovy fillets, capers and 2 tbsp lemon juice in a bowl, then stir or mash them into the mayonnaise. Loosen the sauce with the reserved cooking water until it is smooth, pale and spoonable.
- Slice the veal very thinly across the grain and arrange the slices in a single layer on a flat serving plate.
- Spoon the tuna sauce over the veal, then finish with a few extra capers and a little more lemon juice over the top.
