Italian · appetizer
Vitello Tonnato
Vitello Tonnato reads umami 5.9, richness 5.3 and citrus 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian appetizer, about 2 hr 30 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 7.2 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 3.3 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 6.1 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 1.8 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 5.6 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 3.1 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Umami 5.9 · Richness 5.3 · Citrus 4.9 · Salinity 4.5 · Funk & Ferment 4.2 · Sourness 4.2 · Marine & Briny 4.1 · Allium 2.8 · Sweetness 2.5 · Fruity 2.5 · Earthy 1.7 · Floral 1.3 · Herbaceous 1.0 · Bitterness 1.0 · Nutty 0.8 · Warm Spice 0.5 · Heat 0.5
What's in it (15)
- 1 lb veal topside
- 1 can (5 oz) tuna in oil, drained
- 2 tbsp capers
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 caperberries (to garnish)
- salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
Time & effort: about 2 hr 30 min (20 min active) · effort: involved
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 51.6 kcal, 4.8 g protein, 2.3 g fat, 3.6 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (3 steps)
- Poach the veal in an aromatic broth of wine, vegetables, and bay leaf until just cooked through, then cool completely in the liquid.
- Blend tuna, anchovies, capers, egg yolks, and lemon into a smooth mayonnaise-like sauce, thinning with a little broth.
- Slice the cold veal paper-thin, lay flat on a platter, and mask entirely with the tuna sauce; garnish with caperberries.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Königsberger Klopse (Meatballs in Caper Sauce) — German
- Lemon-Garlic Greek Salmon — Greek
- Thai Fried Rice (Khao Pad) — Thai
- Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Olives and Capers — Mediterranean
- Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac) — Vietnamese
Keep reading: what umami, richness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.