Vitello Tonnato Recipe (Piedmontese Veal)

• 2 lb veal eye of round, tied
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
• 1 whole carrot, cut into chunks
• 1 stalk celery, cut into chunks
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 10 cups water
• 2 large eggs
• 5 oz tuna in olive oil, drained
• 3 tablespoons capers, drained
• 2 fillets anchovy
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Equipment

• large pot with lid
• kitchen twine
• instant-read thermometer
• small pot
• shallow containers
• fine-mesh strainer
• blender
• sharp knife
• serving platter

Method

1. 1

   Hard-cook the eggs in a small pot of water for 10 minutes, then cool them under cold running water and peel. The whites and yolks should be firm, and the eggs should reach 160°F (71°C).

2. 2

   Cut the onion, carrot, and celery into chunks. Check that the veal is tied into an even shape; tie it snugly with kitchen twine if needed.

   
3. 3

   Combine the veal, salt, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, peppercorns, wine, and water in a large pot. Bring the liquid just to a simmer, then lower the heat and poach gently for about 75 minutes, turning the roast once. Start checking at 60 minutes; remove the veal when the center reaches 145°F (63°C).

   
4. 4

   Rest the veal in the pot for 3 minutes after it reaches 145°F (63°C). Lift it out, set it in a shallow container, and strain ½ cup (120 ml) of the cooking liquid into a separate container for the sauce.

5. 5

   Chill the veal and reserved cooking liquid in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, until the veal is cold throughout. Refrigerate promptly rather than leaving the meat out to cool completely.

6. 6

   Blend the peeled eggs, tuna, 2 tablespoons of the capers, anchovies, lemon juice, olive oil, and reserved cooking liquid until smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed; the sauce should be thick enough to cling to a spoon.

   
7. 7

   Slice the chilled veal thinly across the grain and arrange it on a platter. Spoon the tuna sauce over the slices, then finish with the remaining tablespoon of capers and the parsley. Serve cold.