Vitel toné is the most Italian thing Argentinians cook at Christmas. A cold sliced veal, smothered in a tuna-and-anchovy cream sauce, served alongside the turkey and the pavlova. It sounds strange. It is incredible.
Vitel toné (from the Italian vitello tonnato) is one of the clearest examples of Italian-Argentinian culinary fusion. It arrived in Argentina with waves of Italian immigrants in the late 1800s and was enthusiastically adopted as a Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve dish, because it is served cold (essential in the Southern Hemisphere summer) and made entirely in advance.
The combination reads as strange, veal with tuna?, but works beautifully. The sauce is smooth, savoury, and lifted by capers and lemon. It spreads generously over thin slices of cold cooked veal. You get richness, umami, and acid all in one bite.
This recipe serves 8 to 10 and must be made a day ahead. Plan accordingly, especially if you are feeding a larger Christmas crowd.
Vitel toné is a special occasion dish. It needs a full day of resting before serving for the flavours to develop and the meat to slice cleanly.
For simpler entertaining, consider our catering service for your next event.
Ingredients
For the veal
- 1.5 kg veal eye round (or lean beef if veal unavailable)
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 black peppercorns
- 2 cloves garlic
- 250 ml dry white wine
- 2 L water (or enough to cover)
- 1 tbsp salt
For the sauce
- 2 tins tuna in oil (95 g each), drained
- 6 anchovy fillets
- 3 tbsp capers, rinsed
- 4 hard-boiled egg yolks
- 200 ml good-quality mayonnaise
- 100 ml cooking broth (from the veal)
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Black pepper
- Extra capers and parsley to garnish
Method
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Cook the veal.
Place the veal in a large pot with the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic, wine, salt, and enough water to cover. Bring to a gentle simmer (do not let it boil) and cook for 50 to 60 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 63°C.
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Cool in broth.
Remove from heat. Let the veal cool completely in its own broth. This keeps the meat moist. Once cool, refrigerate in the broth overnight if possible.
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Make the sauce.
The next day, place the drained tuna, anchovies, capers, hard-boiled egg yolks, mayonnaise, 100 ml of the reserved broth, lemon juice, mustard, and pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. The consistency should be thick but pourable.
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Slice the veal.
Remove the veal from the broth. Pat dry. Using a very sharp knife, slice as thinly as possible, 3 to 4 mm thick. A meat slicer is ideal if you have one.
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Assemble.
On a large platter, arrange a layer of veal slices. Spoon over a generous layer of sauce. Continue layering until all the veal and sauce are used. Finish with sauce on top.
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Chill before serving.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (6 hours is better). This lets the sauce penetrate the meat.
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Garnish and serve.
Before serving, scatter with extra capers and a bit of chopped parsley. Serve cold with crusty bread.
Chef's notes.
Do not boil the veal. Aggressive boiling makes the meat tough. Gentle simmering only, at around 85°C.
Veal round is ideal. It is lean and slices cleanly. Beef eye round is an acceptable substitute if veal is hard to find in Sydney.
Slice the veal cold. Warm veal shreds under the knife. After overnight refrigeration, it slices in clean even pieces.
Sauce consistency matters. Too thick and it clumps on the meat. Too thin and it runs off. Aim for the consistency of slightly loose yogurt.
Frequently asked questions
Is vitel toné served warm or cold?
Always cold. It is a Christmas and New Year dish in the Southern Hemisphere, designed for summer heat. Serving it warm changes the dish entirely.
Can I use beef instead of veal?
Yes. Beef eye round is the closest substitute. The result is slightly more beefy in flavour but works well.
How long does vitel toné keep?
Up to 3 days in the fridge, fully covered. The sauce actually improves over the first two days as flavours marry.
Is it a main course or starter?
Depends on portion. A small slice with bread is a starter (Argentinian summer antipasto). A larger serve is a main. At Christmas lunch in Argentina it is often one of several cold dishes on the table.
Do I need a food processor?
Highly recommended. Getting the sauce smooth with a mortar and pestle takes about 20 minutes of hard work. A food processor takes 2 minutes.
Empanadas, made ahead of time.
Argentum empanadas bake from frozen in 22 minutes. No advance prep needed. The Chef's Box covers 8 to 10 with all five flavours.