Vitello Tonnato

Method

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1. Put the veal in a pot just large enough to hold it with the onion, carrot, celery, bay, peppercorns, wine and salt. Cover with cold water.

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2. Bring slowly to a bare simmer and poach 50 minutes, never letting it boil.

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3. Turn off the heat and leave the veal to cool completely in its broth, then refrigerate it in the liquid overnight.

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4. For the sauce, blend the tuna, anchovies, capers, egg yolks and lemon juice until smooth.

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5. With the motor running, pour in the olive oil in a thin stream until the sauce is thick and glossy, like a loose mayonnaise.

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6. Loosen with the poaching broth until it just falls from a spoon, and season with pepper. It should need no salt.

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7. Slice the cold veal as thinly as you can manage — 2 mm is the target — with a very sharp knife.

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8. Lay the slices overlapping on a large plate, spoon the sauce over to cover, and chill 1 hour.

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9. Scatter with extra capers and a grind of pepper before serving.

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Chef’s Tips

• Cool the veal in its broth. Lifting it out hot loses you both moisture and flavour.
• Slice it straight from the fridge. Room-temperature veal will not cut thinly.
• Assemble at least an hour ahead so the sauce settles into the meat.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

• A chilled Arneis or Gavi
• Grissini
• A rocket salad with lemon

Storage & Reheating

Assembled, it keeps 2 days refrigerated and is arguably better on day two. The sauce alone keeps 3 days.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.