Vitello tonnato

Ingredients

• 800 gveal topside
• 1 bunchsoup vegetables (carrots, celery, parsley roots and leek)
• 1 clovegarlic
• 1 tspsalt
• 8 pinchespepper
• 1 tbspclarified butter
• 100 mlwhite wine
• 500 mlwater
• 2bay leaves
• 200 gcrème fraîche
• 50 gbutter
• 6anchovies
• 200 gtinned tuna
• 3sweet-and-sour pickled gherkins
• 1 tbspcapers
• 1organic lemon

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the veal

   Ask your butcher to trim and clean the veal topside for boiling. Wash the meat and pat it dry. Wash the soup vegetables; peel the root vegetables and cut them into pieces, then slice the leek. Peel the garlic and set it aside.

2. 2

   Cook the veal

   Season the veal with the salt and pepper. Brown it over a medium heat in the clarified butter. Add the prepared vegetables, pour in the white wine and water, and add the bay leaves. Cover and cook gently until the veal is tender.

3. 3

   Serve it warm

   For the warm version, take the meat out of the pan and cut it into thin slices. Arrange the slices on warmed plates.

4. 4

   Make warm sauce

   Put the anchovies, flaked tuna and finely chopped gherkins in a tall container. Blend with a little warm cooking broth and the crème fraîche, adding more broth to taste. Season again with salt and pepper, warm the sauce gently, and serve it with the veal.

5. 5

   Make cold sauce

   For the cold version, leave the veal and broth to cool. Blend the anchovies, flaked tuna and finely chopped gherkins with a little cold broth. Blend in the crème fraîche until creamy, adding more broth to taste, then season with salt and pepper. Slice the veal thinly, arrange it on plates and spread the sauce generously over it.

6. 6

   Finish the plates

   Sprinkle either version with capers, whole or chopped. Serve the lemon separately as a garnish if desired.

What is vitello tonnato?

Vitello tonnato is an Italian dish of sliced veal served with a tuna-based sauce. It is often presented chilled, though this recipe also gives you a warm option.

The contrast between mild veal and the savoury sauce is what makes the dish distinctive. Here, crème fraîche gives the tuna, anchovies and gherkins a creamy finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 738 calories, 58g protein, 5g carbs, 50g fat.

The veal provides most of the protein, while the tuna contributes protein and the clarified butter, crème fraîche and butter account for much of the fat. The vegetables and a little wine supply most of the carbohydrates; serve with vegetables or salad to add freshness and round out the plate.

Build flavour in the cooking liquid

Aromatics: the carrots, celery, parsley roots, leek, garlic and bay leaves flavour the broth as the veal cooks. Cut the root vegetables into similar-sized pieces so they cook at a similar pace.

Wine and water: the white wine adds depth to the cooking liquid, while water provides the base for gently cooking the meat. Keep some broth back for blending into the sauce.

Keep the veal tender

Gentle heat: once the veal has been browned and the liquid added, cover the pan and keep the cooking gentle. A steady simmer helps the meat soften without a vigorous boil.

Thin slices: let the meat rest briefly after removing it from the pan, then slice it thinly. This makes it easier to coat evenly with sauce.

Blend a balanced sauce

Savoury base: anchovies and tuna bring a salty, savoury flavour, while the gherkins add a tangy note. Blend them with only a little broth at first.

Creamy texture: mix in the crème fraîche and add broth gradually until the sauce is creamy and spreadable. Taste before adding more salt, as the anchovies and capers are already salty.

Choose warm or chilled

Warm serving: slice the veal and place it on warmed plates, then serve with gently heated sauce. Avoid boiling the sauce once the crème fraîche is mixed in.

Cold serving: cool the meat and broth before blending and plating. Chilling makes this version convenient to prepare ahead; add the sauce over the veal shortly before serving.

Serve with simple sides

The veal and sauce are rich, so a crisp green salad or lightly dressed vegetables make a fresh accompaniment. Bread is useful for catching any sauce left on the plate.

Finish with capers and offer the lemon separately, as described in the method. Add lemon to taste rather than mixing it into the whole batch.

Recipe notes & tips

• Ask the butcher to trim the veal topside for boiling.
• Keep the cooking broth for blending into the sauce rather than discarding it.
• Add broth to the sauce a little at a time to control its consistency.
• Taste the sauce before adding extra salt because the anchovies and capers are salty.
• For the chilled version, allow both the meat and broth to cool fully before blending.

Variations

• More lemon: offer extra lemon wedges for a brighter finish.
• Extra capers: scatter more capers over the plated veal for a sharper, briny accent.
• Chunkier sauce: pulse the sauce briefly so the tuna and gherkins retain some texture.
• Herb finish: add a little chopped parsley over the finished plates.
• Warm serving: gently heat the sauce and serve it alongside freshly sliced veal.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Boiling the veal hard: keep the covered pan at a gentle simmer so the meat cooks gently.
• Adding too much broth: blend in small amounts so the sauce stays creamy rather than thin.
• Over-salting the sauce: taste after blending, as anchovies and capers bring saltiness.
• Slicing thickly: cut the cooled or rested veal thinly so each slice takes sauce well.
• Boiling the finished sauce: warm it gently and avoid a rolling boil once the crème fraîche is added.

How to store

Refrigerate the veal, sauce and cooking broth in separate covered containers and use within 3 days. Reheat the warm version gently; serve the cold version chilled, and avoid repeatedly warming and cooling the sauce.

Frequently asked questions