Name: Vitello tonnato
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 6 portions
Ingredients: 800 g veal leg; 1 pc carrot; 1 pc onion; 1 stem celery; 2 pcs bay leaves; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 l water; 1 tin tuna in oil; 4 slices anchovies; 4 tablespoons mayonnaise; 2 pcs egg yolk; 2 tablespoons capers; 1 pc lemon; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 pinch black pepper; 1 tablespoon capers; 1 slice lemon

Step by step process

Poaching the veal

1
For vitello tonnato, first poach the veal slowly. Tie the rinsed veal leg with kitchen twine into a compact cylinder so it holds its shape.
2
Put the veal, peeled carrot, onion, celery stalk, bay leaf, and salt into a pot. Pour in water so that the meat is submerged.
3
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a minimum. Poach the meat at a bare simmer for 80 minutes, until it is tender inside but still juicy.
4
Take the pot off the heat and let the veal cool down right in the broth. Remove the cooled meat, wrap it in foil, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to firm up.

Tuna sauce

5
Hard-boil the egg yolks and let them cool. Put the drained tuna, anchovies, capers, egg yolks, and lemon juice into a blender.
6
Blend until smooth. While blending continuously, pour in the olive oil until the sauce thickens and takes on a glossy texture.
TIP:
Add the oil drop by drop at first. Only once the first third has emulsified should you switch to a thin, steady stream. A broken emulsion can be rescued with a tablespoon of cold water, whisk the split mixture back into it drop by drop.
7
Stir in the mayonnaise to make the sauce creamier and smoother. Season with pepper and a squeeze of lemon if needed. Thanks to the anchovies, salt is usually not necessary.

Assembling and chilling

8
Slice the firmed-up veal with a sharp knife into the thinnest possible slices, ideally almost translucent.
9
Spread a little sauce on a plate, layer the slices of meat, and pour the rest of the tuna sauce over them so they are completely covered.
10
Cover the plate with foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the flavors meld. Before serving, garnish with capers and lemon wedges.