Vitello Tonnato

Vitello tonnato is Piedmont's most paradoxical and beloved dish: cold-roasted or poached veal sliced paper-thin, blanketed in a creamy, ivory sauce made from tinned tuna, capers, anchovies, and lemon. The combination sounds implausible but produces a savoury, umami-rich harmony that has been a centrepiece of northern Italian summer tables since the eighteenth century. It is a dish of patience — the veal must rest overnight in its sauce — and is always served cold, as a lunch antipasto or secondo piatto.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

For the veal:

• 800g (1¾ lb) veal topside or eye of round, tied
• 1 carrot, halved
• 1 stick celery
• 1 small onion, halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 black peppercorns
• 500ml (2 cups) dry white wine
• 1 tsp salt

For the tuna sauce:

• 200g (7 oz) tinned tuna in olive oil, drained
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 3 tbsp capers, rinsed (plus extra to garnish)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 egg yolks
• 150ml (⅔ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• 3–4 tbsp poaching liquid (cooled)
• Salt and white pepper

Instructions

1. Place veal in a pot with carrot, celery, onion, bay, peppercorns, wine, salt, and enough water to cover. Bring to a gentle simmer and poach for 45–55 minutes until an instant-read thermometer reads 65°C (149°F). Cool completely in the liquid.
2. Remove veal from poaching liquid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Reserve 4–5 tbsp poaching liquid.
3. Make the sauce: blend tuna, anchovies, capers, lemon juice, and egg yolks until smooth. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until emulsified. Thin with poaching liquid to a pourable but coating consistency. Season.
4. Slice veal as thinly as possible (2–3mm / ⅛ inch) with a sharp carving knife. Arrange overlapping slices on a large flat platter.
5. Spoon sauce generously over the veal, covering it completely. Scatter capers over the surface.
6. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the sauce to permeate the meat.

Cook's Notes: Vitello tonnato should be served very cold, almost fridge-cold, and sliced thin enough to be nearly translucent. A mandoline is ideal for slicing. The sauce keeps for 3 days refrigerated; thin with a little water if it thickens too much.