Restaurants›Bread and Butter›Vitelllo Tonato Recipe

Vitelllo Tonato Recipe

Inspired by Bread and Butter
Time2h 30m
Serves4

Rasol de vita, ton, anchois, capere

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Ingredients

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Beef (Rasol de vita)

Tuna-Caper Sauce (Tonno e Capperi)

To Serve / Garnish

Method

Beef (Rasol de vita)

1

Prepare and poach the beef

Place the beef in a medium pot. Add the halved onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, peppercorns, salt, and 1 liter of water. The liquid should just cover the meat; add a little more water if needed.

2

Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Skim any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to low so the liquid is barely simmering. Cover partially and poach gently for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the meat is tender but still sliceable. Cooking time depends on thickness.

3

Turn off the heat and let the beef cool in the cooking liquid to keep it moist, about 30–45 minutes. Remove the beef and reserve 2–3 tbsp of the cooking liquid; discard vegetables and bay leaf. Pat the meat dry and chill in the refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour (or overnight) for easier thin slicing.

Tuna-Caper Sauce (Tonno e Capperi)

4

Make the sauce

In a food processor or blender combine the drained tuna, anchovy fillets, capers, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Process until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. If the sauce is too thick, add 1–2 teaspoons of the reserved beef cooking liquid (or water) to loosen to a spreadable consistency.

5

Taste and adjust seasoning: add a pinch of salt only if necessary (anchovies and capers are salty), more lemon for brightness, or extra olive oil for silkiness.

Assembly & Serve

6

Slice and arrange

Slice the chilled beef very thinly (about 2–3 mm). Arrange slices in a single layer on a serving platter, slightly overlapping.

7

Spread a thin layer of the tuna-caper sauce over each slice or spoon the sauce over the center of the arranged meat and gently spread with the back of a spoon so that meat is largely covered but edges show.

8

Garnish with the reserved capers, lemon slices or wedges, and chopped parsley. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the top if desired.

9

Chill the assembled vitello tonnato for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld, or serve immediately at cool room temperature. Serve as a starter, 6–8 thin slices per person.