Vitello Tonnato Recipe

Trim and season

Pat the veal dry with paper towels. Tie with kitchen twine if irregular so it cooks evenly. Rub 1 tbs olive oil over the surface and season all over with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Sear

Heat a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat with 1 tbs olive oil. Sear the veal on all sides until well-browned, about 2–3 minutes per side.

Prepare braising liquid

Add the roughly chopped shallot, carrot, and celery to the pot with the veal. Pour in 150 ml dry white wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up browned bits. Add bay leaf, peppercorns, and 500 ml water (enough to come partway up the meat but not cover it entirely).

Braise/roast

Bring liquid to a gentle simmer, cover, and transfer to a preheated oven at 160°C (320°F). Cook until tender and an internal temperature of about 60–62°C (140–144°F) for medium-rare to medium, approximately 60–75 minutes depending on thickness. Alternatively, continue simmering gently on the stovetop, covered, for the same time.

Rest and chill

Remove the veal from the liquid and let cool to room temperature. Press lightly with a flat plate to keep shape if desired. For best slicing, refrigerate wrapped for at least 2 hours or overnight to chill and firm the meat. Reserve a little of the braising liquid (strained) for thinning the sauce if desired.

Slice

When fully chilled, remove twine and slice the veal very thinly (1–2 mm) against the grain. Arrange slices on a large platter in an overlapping single layer.

Prepare tuna base

Drain the canned tuna well. In a food processor, combine drained tuna, anchovy fillets, and 2 tbs rinsed capers. Pulse several times until a coarse paste forms.

Emulsify

Add 150 g mayonnaise, 2 tbs lemon juice, and 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil to the processor. With the motor running, blend until smooth and creamy. If the mixture is too thick, add cold water 1 tbsp at a time (about 30 ml total) until it reaches a spreadable, sauce-like consistency.

Adjust seasoning

Taste and adjust with additional salt (if needed—anchovies and capers are salty), lemon juice for brightness, and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve for an ultra-smooth texture, pressing with a spatula. Chill the sauce until ready to assemble (at least 30 minutes).

Prepare capers

Rinse the frying capers briefly and pat very dry. Heat 3 tbs olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the capers in batches, stirring occasionally, until they puff up and become crisp, about 1–2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels and immediately sprinkle lightly with salt.

Finish garnish

Chop 1 tbs fresh parsley and zest 1/2 tsp lemon zest. Keep both ready to garnish the plated dish.

Coat veal

Spread a thin layer of the chilled tonnato sauce over the arranged veal slices using a spoon or offset spatula so each slice is lightly covered. For a classic look, you can cover the entire platter evenly (about 150–180 g of sauce total).

Garnish

Scatter the fried capers over the sauced veal, sprinkle chopped parsley and lemon zest over the top for brightness.

Chill before serving

Cover and refrigerate the assembled Vitello Tonnato for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) so flavors marry. Serve cold or at cool room temperature. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 2–3 days.