Vittelo Tonnato Recipe

Prepare and sear

Pat the beef dry and rub with 1 tsp salt. Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the roast on all sides until well-browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

Aromatics and deglaze

Reduce heat to medium. Add the halved onion, carrot and celery to the pot and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

Braise

Return the beef to the pot. Add bay leaves, peppercorns, remaining 0.5 tsp salt and enough water or beef stock to come about halfway up the roast (approx. 800 ml). Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and either: simmer on very low heat on the stove for 1.5–2 hours, or place in a preheated 160°C (320°F) oven for 1.5–2 hours, until the meat is tender but still sliceable. Rotate the roast once if needed.

Cool in liquid

When cooked, remove the pot from heat. Transfer the beef to a plate and let it cool in the braising liquid to room temperature (about 30–45 minutes). Reserve 2 tbs of the braising liquid, strained, for thinning the tuna cream if needed. Once fully cooled, refrigerate the roast (and strained liquid) for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight to firm up — this makes very thin slicing possible.

Prepare ingredients

Drain the canned tuna well and flake with a fork. Rinse the capers and anchovies to remove excess brine if desired (pat dry).

Blend the sauce

In a food processor or blender combine the drained tuna, anchovy fillets, rinsed capers (reserve 1 tsp for garnish if desired), Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise. Pulse until smooth. With the motor running, stream in 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil to emulsify. If the mixture is too thick, add up to 2 tbs reserved braising liquid or water, 1 tbs at a time, until you reach a creamy, spreadable consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with black pepper and additional lemon or salt only if needed (anchovies and capers are salty).

Chill

Transfer the tuna cream to a bowl, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld. The sauce can be made a day ahead.

Slice the chilled beef as thinly as possible (a sharp knife or meat slicer works best). Arrange slices on a large platter overlapping slightly.

Spread or spoon the tuna cream evenly over the beef slices — a thin layer that covers each slice. Alternatively, pour the cream into a piping bag and pipe neat ribbons over each slice for an elegant presentation.

Garnish with the reserved capers, chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Let the assembled vitello tonnato rest in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes so the flavors marry. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature as an appetizer or main for 4–6 people.