📝 About This Recipe
A cornerstone of Piedmontese cuisine, Vitello Tonnato is an elegant paradox of flavors where tender, poached veal meets a velvety, brined tuna sauce. This dish represents the height of Italian summer dining, offering a sophisticated balance of savory meat, salty capers, and bright citrus. It is a timeless antipasto that transforms simple ingredients into a luxurious, melt-in-the-mouth experience that is both refreshing and deeply satisfying.
🥗 Ingredients
The Veal and Poaching Liquid
- 2 pounds Veal Eye of Round (Girello) (trimmed of silver skin)
- 2 cups Dry White Wine (such as Gavi or Pinot Grigio)
- 1 large Carrot (roughly chopped)
- 1 large Celery Stalk (roughly chopped)
- 1 medium Yellow Onion (peeled and halved)
- 2 pieces Bay Leaves
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns (whole)
- 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
The Tonnato Sauce
- 6 ounces Canned Tuna in Olive Oil (high quality, drained)
- 4 pieces Anchovy Fillets (packed in oil)
- 2 tablespoons Non-pareil Capers (rinsed)
- 2 large Egg Yolks (at room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (mild flavor profile)
- 2-3 tablespoons Poaching Liquid (strained and cooled)
For Garnish
- 6-8 pieces Caper Berries (with stems attached)
- 1 handful Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley (leaves only)
- 1 piece Lemon (sliced into thin rounds)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
In a large pot, combine the veal, white wine, carrot, celery, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt. Add enough cold water to just cover the meat.
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2
Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low, cover partially, and poach for 50-60 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 130°F (54°C) for a perfect medium-rare pink center.
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3
Remove the pot from the heat. Allow the veal to cool completely inside the poaching liquid; this ensures the meat remains incredibly moist and absorbs the aromatics.
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4
Once cool, remove the veal, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight. This makes slicing thin much easier.
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5
Strain the poaching liquid and reserve 1/2 cup in the refrigerator for the sauce; discard the vegetables.
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6
To make the sauce, place the drained tuna, anchovies, and capers in a food processor or blender. Pulse until a paste forms.
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7
Add the egg yolks and lemon juice to the tuna mixture. Process until smooth.
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8
With the motor running on low, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil in a thin, steady stream until the sauce emulsifies into a thick, mayonnaise-like consistency.
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9
Thin the sauce with 2-3 tablespoons of the chilled poaching liquid until it reaches the consistency of heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or more lemon if needed.
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10
Unwrap the chilled veal. Using a very sharp carving knife or a meat slicer, cut the veal against the grain into paper-thin slices (about 1/8 inch thick).
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11
Arrange the veal slices on a large chilled platter, overlapping them slightly in a decorative circular pattern.
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12
Generously spoon the tonnato sauce over the center of the veal slices, leaving the edges of the meat visible for a beautiful presentation.
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13
Cover the platter loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving to let the flavors marry.
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14
Just before serving, garnish with caper berries, lemon slices, and a scattering of fresh parsley. A final drizzle of olive oil adds a professional touch.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always cool the meat in its poaching liquid; if you remove it while hot, the steam escaping will leave the meat dry and gray. For the best texture, use a meat slicer if available, or ensure your chef's knife is freshly sharpened to get those signature translucent slices. Don't skip the anchovies; they provide the essential 'umami' backbone of the sauce without making it taste overly fishy. If you are nervous about raw egg yolks, you can substitute the yolks and olive oil with 1 cup of high-quality store-bought mayonnaise as a base for the tuna mixture.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Pair with a crisp, acidic white wine like a Roero Arneis or a dry Gavi di Gavi to cut through the richness of the sauce. Serve with warm, crusty ciabatta or focaccia to scoop up every last drop of the tonnato sauce. A side of pickled vegetables (Giardiniera) provides a crunchy, acidic contrast to the silky meat. This dish works beautifully as part of a summer buffet alongside grilled asparagus or a simple arugula salad.