Vitello tonnato
by Tavolino
A classic Piedmontese appetizer consisting of tender veal cooked in an aromatic broth and served with a velvety sauce made from tuna, anchovies, and capers.
Ingredients
- Veal (eye of round) 800 g
- Celery 1 stalk
- Carrots 1
- Yellow onions 1
- Garlic 1 clove
- White wine 250 g
- Water 1.5 l
- Bay leaf 1 leaf
- Cloves to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons
- Black peppercorns to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Eggs 2
- Canned tuna in oil, drained 100 g
- Anchovy fillets in oil 3 fillets
- Salt-packed capers 5 g
- Caper berries to taste
- Meat broth 150 g
Preparation
- 1
Clean the carrot, celery, and onion. Cut the vegetables into large chunks.
- 2
Trim the veal (800 g) by removing any cartilage or excess fat.
- 3
In a large pot, combine the veal, vegetables, 1 clove of garlic, 1 bay leaf, the cloves, and the black peppercorns.
- 4
Pour in 250 g of white wine, 1.5 l of water, 3 tablespoons of oil, and salt to taste.
- 5
Bring to a boil, skim off any foam from the surface, and cook over low heat for 45 minutes.
- 6
Check that the internal temperature of the meat is 65°C. Drain and let cool completely.
- 7
Strain 150 g of the cooking broth and set it aside.
- 8
Boil 2 eggs in boiling water for 9 minutes. Cool them, peel them, and cut them into quarters.
- 9
In a blender, combine the hard-boiled eggs, 100 g of tuna, 3 anchovy fillets, and 5 g of desalted capers.
- 10
Blend, gradually adding the 150 g of broth until a smooth cream is obtained.
- 11
Slice the cold veal with a smooth-bladed knife.
- 12
Arrange the slices on a plate, cover with the tuna sauce, and garnish with the caper berries.