Vitello Tonnato

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 400 g veal, from the nut (alternatively chicken breast)
• 1 bunch of soup vegetables
• n. B. veal bone
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 75 ml vermouth (Noilly Prat)
• 100 ml white wine
• 1 pinch of mace
• 1 can tuna, in oil
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 1 tsp capers
• olive oil
• 20 g cream
• 1 dashes lime juice, or lemon juice
• salt and pepper
• Honey (forest honey), optional
• Balsamic vinegar, a good variety
• 1 pinch of tomato paste, optional
• Cherry tomatoes
• arugula
• Watercress flowers

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes; Total time approx. 15 hours 15 minutes

Chop the soup vegetables and place them in a pot with the bay leaf, 3 garlic cloves, cloves, veal bones, pepper, salt, and mace. Cover with water and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the white wine and Noilly Prat and simmer for another 15 minutes. Add the veal to the broth (it should be covered; add more water and/or white wine if necessary), bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to about 90 degrees Celsius. Let the meat simmer at a constant temperature for about 1.5 hours. Let the meat cool in the broth (preferably overnight). Remove and discard the fat (it will solidify overnight and float to the top). Strain the broth through a fine sieve, keeping the meat in the broth until further use. If you like, you can eat the vegetables; they will be rather overcooked, but it’s really too good to throw away. Drain the tuna, reserving the oil. Beat the egg yolk with salt and pepper, then slowly add a little oil, stirring constantly. This will make a mayonnaise. Tear the tuna into chunks, blend it with the anchovies, add a little stock, and continue blending (if you like, you can also blend capers; it’s a matter of taste; I prefer it without). Add mayonnaise, more stock if desired, and cream until the sauce reaches the right consistency. You should have a thick sauce. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, honey, tomato paste, and balsamic vinegar. Cut the veal into very thin slices. Halve the remaining garlic clove and rub it onto the plates. Place 2-3 tablespoons of sauce in the center of each plate, arrange the meat slices in a fan shape on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon another 1-2 tablespoons of sauce onto the center of the meat, and garnish with capers, arugula, cherry tomatoes, or watercress flowers. It goes well with ciabatta or baguette and Sauvignon Blanc (or another tasty white wine).