Ingredients for 4-5 people
For the beef:
800 g round beef
1 onion
1 carrot
1 celery stick
1 garlic clove
1 bay leaf
5 peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
1 liter water
For the tuna sauce:
200 g tuna (in its own juice)
100 g mayonnaise
2 tablespoons capers (plus a few for garnish)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
For the red chicory and tomato tapenade:
1 head of red chicory
80 g sun-dried tomatoes
50 g arugula
1 garlic clove
50 g pitted black olives
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 squeezed orange
1 sardine fillet marinated in oil
Optional: for freshness, add 1 sprig of peppermint to the sauce Mortar.
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Cook the round mocken: Roughly chop the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.
Bring the water to a boil in a pot and add the chopped vegetables, bay leaf, peppercorns, and salt.
Simmer the round mocken in the vegetable stock for about 1.5-2 hours, until tender. Then remove from the stock and let cool. Of course, you can also cook the round mocken sous vide (at 56°C for about 3 hours) or slow cook it in the oven.
Prepare the tuna sauce: Drain the tuna and place it in a food processor along with the mayonnaise, capers, lemon juice, and olive oil. Blend everything thoroughly until a creamy sauce forms. Season with salt and pepper.
Prepare the tapenade: Place the finely chopped red chicory, black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, finely chopped garlic, sardine fillet, olive oil, and a squeezed orange in a mortar and pestle and grind until finely ground. Optionally, add some mint to the mortar for freshness.
Cut the meat: Finely slice the cooled round sardine into thin slices and arrange on a plate. Drizzle with the tuna sauce and garnish with capers and the fresh red chicory and tomato tapenade.
"Vitello Tonnato" has its origins in Italian cuisine, specifically in the Piedmont region. Its name literally means "veal with tuna" and describes the main dish, which often consists of thinly sliced, cooked veal served with a creamy sauce made from tuna, mayonnaise, capers, and spices.
The exact origins of the dish are somewhat unclear, but it is generally believed to have become popular in the 19th century. Some sources trace it back to culinary traditions from the 18th and 19th centuries, when many Italian dishes reflected influences from both local cuisine and French gastronomy. Traditionally, veal is used. However, this recipe also works very well with beef "manzo tonnato" or beef tonnato.
