Vitello Tonnato
Chilled, thinly sliced poached veal draped in a velvety, savoury sauce made from tuna, capers, anchovies, and egg yolks.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 420 kcal
Equipment
- •Large saucepan
- •Blender or food processor
- •Meat thermometer
- •Sharp carving knife
- •Fine mesh sieve
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- fat
- 26 g
- carbs
- 3 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 42 g
- calories
- 420 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the veal in a pot with wine, carrot, celery, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt.
- 2
Add cold water just to cover the meat completely.
- 3
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skimming off any foam from the surface.
- 4
Reduce heat to low and simmer gently until the internal temperature reaches 56C, about 35 minutes.
- 5
Remove the meat from the broth and let it cool completely to room temperature.
- 6
Wrap the cooled veal tightly in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least two hours.
- 7
Strain and reserve 100 ml of the vegetable poaching broth.
- 8
Blend tuna, hard-boiled egg yolks, capers, anchovies, vinegar, and olive oil until completely smooth.
- 9
Gradually stream in the reserved cold broth until the sauce reaches a silky, ribbon-like consistency.
- 10
Slice the chilled veal as thinly as possible across the grain using a sharp knife.
- 11
Arrange the meat overlapping on a large platter and blanket evenly with the tuna sauce.
- 12
Scatter with extra rinsed capers and chill for thirty minutes before serving.
Chef's tips
Chill the meat thoroughly before slicing to achieve paper-thin, even ribbons without tearing. Add the strained broth a spoonful at a time to control sauce thickness so it coats the back of a spoon smoothly.
Ingredient substitutions
- veal magatello → lean turkey breast or pork tenderloin, poached gently
- salted capers → capers in brine, well-drained and patted dry
Storage
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheating
Serve chilled or at cool room temperature; do not reheat.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the meat aggressively, which results in dry and tough veal.
- •Slicing the meat while warm, causing it to shred rather than slice cleanly.
- •Making the tonnato sauce too thick so it weighs down the delicate meat.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Vitello Tonnato?
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