Vitello Tonnato

Where This Goes Wrong

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.

Cooking Vitello Tonnato

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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 let the veal cool in its broth, refrigerating it within 2 hours. Chill 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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Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.

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Why It Works

The veal is poached gently and then cooled in its own broth, which keeps it moist where roasting would dry a lean cut out. Slicing it fridge-cold is what allows the paper-thin cuts the dish needs — warm veal tears.

Leftovers, Reheating and Keeping

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

If You're Missing Something

• 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.

Good With

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

Common Questions About Vitello Tonnato

The Numbers per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. The calories include 3 g of alcohol a serving, which is not part of the protein, carbohydrate or fat. How the figures are worked out.

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