Janice Tripepi

This truly is a cracker of a recipe.  What it lacks in general visual appeal it kicks A### in the taste department.  This is the perfect dish to serve al fresco or for a fabulous lunch.   How often do we wrack our brains for something that included meat but is served chilled on these hot summer days and nights. 

This wonderful dish from the Piedmont region of Italy – is incredibly easy to prepare.    The pilgrims and even the Crusaders travelling from Cantebury to Rome would pass through Piedmonte and enjoy this dish in roadside taverns.  What a romantic fact!!! 

Nonna Lilly, has often presented a dish of Vitello Tonnato for either the Christmas or New Years Eve buffet table.  I remember one year, she prepared the dish on a beautiful round silver platter and decorated it with black truffle – to look like a clock.  I mean, this is one sassy Nonna, who, in her day NEVER spared any expense or effort in presenting and preparing wonderful inspiring food.  I don’t know if I have publicly thanked her, for she taught me how to cook when hubby and I were courting.  Every Thursday night – and I must add that I could not cook ANYTHING!! – Nonna would patiently walk me through a recipe explaing absolutely everything with such kindness.  Grazie infinite Mamma xxxx

Vitello tonnato is traditionally prepared using a veal roast – but with the general scarsity of this cut of meat I would venture to suggest that (People of Piedmonte forgive me !) a nice fillet sealed and roasted to medium rare would be even nicer.  Oh my hat I could be burnt on the stake for this one. 

I hope that you make it – and I just know that you will enjoy it tremedously.  It’s the perfect dish for an African summer!!!

Ingredients for the Roast Veal

1 Veal Roast

1 carrot

1 onion

1 stick celery

3 bay leaves

2 chicken stock cubes

2 glasses of dry white wine

whole pepper corns

a few sprigs of rosemary

Olive oil for frying

6 cloves of garlic

In a pot – seal the roast on all sides in the olive oil

Add all of the other ingredients and cover with water

Bring to the boil for 15 minutes and reduce right down to a slow simmer

I cooked mine for about an hour and a half

when it’s cooked.  put the lid on the pot and leave to cool off the stove nice and slowly

this will tenderise the meat nicely.

If you want to make this with a fillet

roll the fillet in lots of flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper

Seal the fillet in a pan and then place it in the oven

at 200d for 20 – 25 minutes depending on how rare you enjoy your meat

when cooked enough remove and cover and allow to cool.

FOR THE TUNA & CAPER MAYO SAUCE

There are 2 ways to do this.

If you are feeling all cheffy make a home made mayonnaise and add the following to the

blender when its nice and creamy.

2 anchovettes very finely chopped

100ml of capers – well drained and finely copped

the juice of 1 large lemon

the zest of half of the lemon

lots of freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp sugar

2 tins of well drained tuna (in oil for those not watching their weight and without for the dieters)

Add the above to the blender and pulse until nicely amalgamated.

Taste – taste taste – i dont add salt because the anchovettes are salty and so are the capers

but have a taste and adjust to your liking – I like lots of lemon in mine to cut through

the richness of the dish.

The Other way to make this sauce

If, like me, you were hecticly busy go the Nigella route – quick and easy

Take a small bottle of Helmans Mayonnaise and

add the ingredients above.

I can promise you that you are not compromising the end result using ready made mayo

It’s delish!!!!!

Finally – to put the dish together

Cut thin slices of the veal or fillet and lay them on a platter

Pour the tuna caper mayo over and decorate with some

capers. 

Or – if you are feeling very very energetic

buy some black truffle and decorate

the platter to look like a clock –

Just like Nonna!!!!!!

Bless Her!

I served my vitello tonnato with salad.

You could also go the more traditional route and serve with

baby potatoes tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper with a green salad!!