A great Piedmontese classic: thin slices of cold, tender, and delicate veal, blanketed in a creamy tuna, anchovy, and caper sauce. Ideal to prepare ahead for a generous appetizer or an elegant summer dish.
Ingredients
- 800 g veal round or rump roast
- 1 piece carrot
- 1 piece yellow onion
- 1 piece celery stalk
- 25 cl dry white wine
- 1.2 l water
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 1 piece whole clove
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 180 g canned albacore or yellowfin tuna in water, drained
- 4 pieces anchovy fillets in oil
- 2 tbsp vinegar-brined capers, drained
- 2 pieces eggs
- 10 cl extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 8 tbsp veal cooking broth
- 1 tbsp vinegar-brined capers, for serving
- 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
- to taste fine salt
- to taste ground black pepper
Method
- Tie the veal roast to give it an even shape, then place it in a Dutch oven with the carrot, the onion studded with the clove, the celery, bay leaf, white wine, water, coarse salt, and peppercorns; bring gently to a simmer, without a rolling boil.
- Skim if needed, then cook at a very gentle simmer until the meat is firm but still yields under pressure; the liquid should barely tremble.
- Turn off the heat and let the veal cool in its broth so it stays juicy and absorbs the aromatics; it should be cool enough to handle without falling apart.
- Meanwhile, boil the eggs until the yolks are set, chill them, peel them, then reserve mainly the yolks to give body to the sauce.
- Blend the drained tuna, anchovies, capers, egg yolks, lemon juice, and olive oil; gradually thin it with the cooking broth until you have a smooth, velvety, and coatable sauce.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the fine salt, ground pepper, and lemon; it should be briny, fresh, creamy, and fluid enough to coat the meat without running like a soup.
- Drain the cooled veal, remove the twine, then slice it very thinly with a very sharp knife; the slices should remain whole and satiny.
- Arrange the slices slightly overlapping on a cold platter, blanket with the tonnata sauce, then cover and let rest in the fridge so the flavors meld.
- Serve chilled but not ice-cold, garnished with a few capers and chopped flat-leaf parsley; the sauce should coat the meat in a thick, glossy layer.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 611.4 kcal
- Protein
- 58.96 g
- Carbohydrate
- 5.31 g
- Fat
- 33.94 g
- Fibre
- 1.67 g
- Calcium
- 39.94 mg
- Iron
- 1.75 mg
- Magnesium
- 37 mg
