Vitello Tonnato

Vitello tonnato is a staple of Piedmontese , from the northwestern region of Italy This gluten-free dish consists of tender slices of veal topped with a creamy sauce made with tuna, capers, and anchovies. Refreshing and deliciously fragrant, vitello tonnato is perfect as an elegant appetizer or a light main course during celebrations.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time 90 minutes

Rest time: 1 hour

Total time 2 hours 45 minutes

Cooking method: Traditional

Difficulty: Beginner

Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the veal:
1 kg of veal roast (from the top round or bottom round)
1 carrot, cut into pieces
1 onion, cut into pieces
2 celery stalks
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the tonnato sauce:
200g of canned tuna, drained
4 anchovy fillet
2 tablespoons of capers
100 ml of gluten-free mayonnaise (or 3 cooked egg yolks)
100 ml of fresh cream or plant-based cream
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the topping:
A few whole capers
Fresh, chopped parsley

Preparation

1
Cooking the veal: Place the veal roast in a deep pan or Dutch oven and cover it with water. Add the carrot, onion, celery, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 1 hour 30 minutes, until the veal is tender. Once cooked, remove the veal from the broth and let it cool completely before slicing it thinly.
2
Tonnato sauce preparation: In a blender, combine the tuna, anchovies, capers, mayonnaise (or egg yolks), and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Add the cream and blend again. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
3
To assemble the dish: Arrange the cooled veal slices on a serving platter. Generously coat them with tonnato sauce, making sure to cover each slice completely.
4
Garnish and presentation: Decorate the dish with whole capers and some chopped fresh parsley for a touch of color and freshness.
5
Resting and serving: Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld. Vitello tonnato is best enjoyed cold, making it ideal for festive meals.

Note

I made a silly mistake and started by putting in green peppercorns from Madagascar instead of capers. I decided to leave them in and add the capers. Good news, it was absolutely delicious!

Keywords: Vitello Tonnato, Argentinian recipe, gluten-free veal recipe