Ingredients for 4-5 people:700 g veal eye round1 small carrot1 piece of celery stalk1 onion½ glass Extra Virgin Olive Oil1 glass white wine1 glass water mayonnaise *200 g tuna in oil20 g capers in vinegar + 1 tbsp for garnishing1 jar Giardiniera with Balsamico Bianco2 sprigs of parsley2 anchovies in oil1 untreated lemon salt *** *For the mayonnaise:250 g Extra Virgin Olive Oil2 egg yolks (with the whites removed completely)½ untreated lemon1 tsp water1 tsp sifted plain Flour salt (for best results, when making the mayonnaise we recommend that you use all the ingredients at the same temperature)
Pour the olive oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pan, add the meat, the onion cut into 4 pieces, the parsley, and the stalk of celery and the carrot, both cut in half. Cook for a few minutes until the meat is pale all over; season with salt as you turn it. Pour in the water and wine, put the lid on and continue cooking the meat over a moderate heat for about an hour, turning it over from time to time.
In the meanwhile prepare the mayonnaise: put the egg yolks in a small bowl and add the water and flour, mixing well with a whisk to amalgamate everything. Now start adding the oil drop by drop, stirring all the time (use one hand to pour in the drops of oil, it’s important that they really are only drops, and use the other hand to stir constantly). The egg yolks will gradually thicken, and the mayonnaise will acquire its lovely, finished appearance. When you have incorporated all the oil into the mixture, continue stirring and add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of lemon juice (we recommend that you always taste first, and then add the salt and lemon a little at a time – it’s best to only add a little at the beginning and then more as required). If you like, when the mayonnaise is ready you can sprinkle it with a little pepper.
Now chop the tuna with the capers, anchovies and well-drained pieces of carrot, bell pepper and onion from the Giardiniera (setting aside the rest of the vegetables in the jar) on your work surface using a mezzaluna (or another large knife). Carefully stir the chopped ingredients into the mayonnaise together with the juice of a lemon.
Once the meat is cooked, place it on a chopping board to cool with a light weigh on top of it. When it is cold, use a sharp knife to slice it thinly and arrange the slices in a single layer on a serving dish. Cover with the sauce you prepared, garnish around the edge with the remaining vegetables from the Giardiniera and dot with capers here and there. Cover the “vitello tonnato” with cling film and leave it in the fridge for a few hours so it becomes even tastier.
This dish has various advantages: it can be prepared in advance, even the day before (it’ll taste even better); you can use it to “recycle” leftover meat, both roast and boiled, by simply slicing it thinly and dressing it with the sauce made following this recipe – it’s delicious!