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Vitello Tonnato Recipe (Veal with Tuna-Caper Sauce)
Vitello Tonnato is a classic from Piedmont, Italy: chilled, paper-thin slices of veal topped with a silky tuna-caper sauce. In Italy it is usually served as a cold appetizer, though it also works beautifully as a light main course.
Ingredients
For the Meat
- 800 g veal eye of round (magatello/girello) - ~1.7 pounds
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 medium onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 250 ml white wine - ~1 cup
- 1.5 liters water - ~6 ¼ cups
- 1 bay leaf
- cloves - to taste
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- black peppercorns - to taste
- salt - to taste
For the Tuna Sauce
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- 100 g ~3.5 oz tuna in olive oil - drained
- 4 anchovy fillets in olive oil
- 5 g salted capers - ~½ tablespoon
- caperberries - for garnish, to taste
- 150 ml meat broth - reserved from cooking the veal (about ½ cup + 2 tablespoons)
Instructions
- Start by preparing the vegetables. Wash them well, then peel and trim the carrot and cut it into chunks. Trim the ends of the celery stalk. Peel the onion and cut it in half, then peel the garlic clove.
- Next, clean the meat. With a sharp knife, remove any visible fat or connective tissue.
- Place the veal in a large pot with high sides. Add the prepared vegetables to the pot along with the cloves and black peppercorns.
- Then pour in the white wine.
- Finally, add enough water to completely cover the meat. Season with salt and drizzle in the olive oil. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle boil.
- Once the liquid reaches a boil, cover with a lid and reduce the heat slightly. Simmer for about 40 minutes.
- While the meat is simmering, skim off any foam that rises to the surface using a slotted spoon.
- When cooked, remove the veal from the broth, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it cool completely at room temperature.
- Reserve about 150 ml (½ cup + 2 tbsp) of the cooking broth, which you will need later for the tuna sauce.
- Meanwhile, prepare the hard-boiled eggs. Place them in a small pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Once the water starts boiling, cook for 10 minutes. Drain, cool them quickly under cold running water, peel, and cut them in half.
- Place the hard-boiled eggs, drained tuna, anchovy fillets, and salted capers in a blender or food processor.
- Blend everything together while slowly adding a little of the reserved meat broth. Continue blending until you get a smooth, creamy sauce. It should be thick enough to coat the meat without being watery.
- By now the veal should be completely cooled. Slice it very thinly with a sharp, smooth-bladed knife (or use an electric slicer if you prefer).
- Arrange the slices neatly on a large serving platter, slightly overlapping if needed but keeping them mostly in a single layer.
- Spoon the tuna-caper sauce generously over the veal slices, spreading it evenly. Garnish with a few extra capers or caperberries. Cover the platter with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
- Your Vitello Tonnato is now ready to enjoy! Serve it chilled as an elegant appetizer or as a light main course for any occasion.
Notes
TIP 1: As a rule of thumb, cook veal for about 30 minutes per 500 g (1 lb). For 800 g (about 1 ¾ lbs), 40–45 minutes will be enough. If you have a kitchen thermometer, check that the internal temperature of the veal does not go above 150°F (65°C). The meat should remain slightly pink in the center for best flavor and tenderness.
TIP 2: To desalinate the capers, rinse them under cold running water for a few minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 100gCalories: 276kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 34gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 147mgSodium: 366mgPotassium: 649mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1914IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1mg
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