Vitello Tonnato Cold Veal With Tuna Sauce Recipes

VITELLO TONNATO (COLD VEAL WITH TUNA SAUCE)

Steps:

• For the veal place the meat, carrots, onions, celery, parsley, bay leaf and peppercorns in a fairly snug pot and add water to cover.
• Cover and simmer for one hour. Check from time to time to prevent the meat from sticking to the bottom.
• Let cool in the cooking liquid for one hour.
• Cover the veal with a plate and 2 lb weight and cool completely in the cooking liquid. (The purpose of weighing down the meat is to insure compact slices when cut. I usually omit this step because I don't have a kitchen weight.).
• Store in refrigerator until assembly. If you feel creative, you could make something good with the broth; otherwise, it is discarded.
• For the tuna sauce whip the mayonnaise, tuna, anchovy fillets, onion, and lemon juice at high speed in the processor fitted with a steel blade.
• With the motor running add the milk in a thin stream until the desired consistency is reached. It should be thick but pourable.
• For the assembly remove and discard any remaining bits of rubbery membrane on the veal and slice it thinly, no more than 1/4 inch thick. If some of the slices crumble, don't despair. It will still be good.
• Smear 1/4 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a rimmed platter (I prefer glass).
• Place the veal slices in slightly overlapping circles in the platter, and cover generously and completely with the sauce.
• If you have more veal you can add another layer; just be sure that all is covered by the sauce.
• (If you have more sauce than you need (it is tasty), you can combine it with cubed cooked cold chicken, turkey, or fish, or pour it over cold hard-boiled eggs.).
• The dish should cool in the refrigerator for several hours or up to 2-3 days, covered with plastic wrap.
• Before serving sprinkle on the capers, optional parsley, and garnish with the lemon slices, if desired.

VITELLO TONNATO

Steps:

• Place the veal in a casserole large enough to accommodate it. Add the wine and enough water to cover the veal by 1/2 an inch. Remove veal and set aside. Add vegetables and bouquet garni to the water and bring the liquid to a boil. Return the meat to the simmering water, cover and cook gently for about 1 1/2 hours or until the veal is cooked through.
• Remove the veal from the heat and let it cool in its own liquid, remove it from the liquid and the veal is ready. (Boil the remaining liquid down by half and use as you would broth.) Remove strings and thinly slice.
• In a food processor puree until creamy the tuna fish, anchovies, capers, vegetable and olive oils. Add lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice (add more if you wish). Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and fold in the mayonnaise and season very well with salt and pepper.
• Spread bottom of a shallow nonmetal dish with a layer of tuna sauce. Arrange some veal slices, in a single layer, end to end, over the tuna sauce. Cover first layer of veal again with tuna sauce. Build up a second layer of veal and cover with sauce again. End with a generous layer of sauce, (making sure veal is entirely covered so that it does not dry out). Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Serve chilled with steamed haricot verts (French green beans) or asparagus along with wedges of ripe tomato, halved pitted black olives, snipped chives and chopped parsley.

TONNATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Blend tuna with reserved oil, mayonnaise, anchovies, olive oil, lemon juice, capers, and garlic together in a blender until completely smooth. Season with cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.