Vitello tonnato — thinly sliced poached veal, served cold, covered with a creamy tuna-caper-anchovy sauce — is the most paradoxical of Italian preparations: meat dressed in fish sauce, served cold, tasting unified rather than confused. The chemical basis: both veal and tuna are high in glutamates; both share similar amino acid profiles; the combination produces a synergistic umami that explains why the flavour is not jarring but seamless.
- **The veal:** A lean cut (eye of round, topside) poached with aromatic vegetables and wine until just cooked — the collagen content should be minimal so the slices are tender without being gelatinous - **Slicing:** Very thin (2–3mm) — the thinness allows the tuna sauce to flavour every bite without overwhelming - **The tuna sauce:** Canned tuna (oil-packed, not water) blended with anchovy, capers, lemon juice, and mayonnaise (or olive oil) to a smooth, pourable consistency - **The rest:** Assembled in advance and refrigerated — the sauce marinates the veal over several hours, flavouring the surface and creating the unified character that makes vitello tonnato greater than the sum of its parts - [VERIFY] Hazan's specific tuna sauce recipe
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