It’s baaaack! Just in time for the warm weather, I might add 
This week, I want to share a recipe that is all summery for me. In Italy (and it’s probably something we inherited from the French) there is a dish that is commonly served in restaurants during the summer, it is known as Vitel Tonne’ which literally means “tuna-ed veal.” I know, I know, to the American palate this probably doesn’t sound very good, at the very least, the word veal spell anathema. Well, fear not, my recipe is sans veal and is modified in terms of the tuna.
In recent years, along with my ever-growing intolerance for gluten (yes, yes, an Italian who doesn’t eat pasta? Quois?), I have also developed an, ehm, intolerance? nay a distaste for canned tuna. Actually, some stores sell Italian style tuna in glass jars and I really don’t like that one either. I do, however, looove canned salmon. My version of the no veal recipe includes, among other things, canned salmon. By the way, I am giving you the full-on full fat, full cholesterol version here; if you want the lower calorie version, see the substitutions at the end of the recipe. Well, enough lolly-gagging on my part, here it is:
Ingredients
4 medium sized potatoes (yukon gold or russett)
1 large can of salmon (red preferred)
1 medium sized tomato
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 whole lemon (juiced)
1 cup canola oil
1 cup extra virgin olive oil (cold pressed)
1 small jar non pareil capers, drained (rinse if too salty)
kalamata olives for decorations
salt to taste
Boil potatoes and set aside to cool. While potatoes are cooling, you will place the two eggs in a mixer (on the beat setting or the fastest you have) add some salt and start beating. While that’s happening you will slowly start adding the veggie oil. You should start to see the mixture thicken, when it does, start adding the olive oil. You should have something that has the consistency of almost mayo (which is what you are making!).
Add some of the lemon juice and keep on low beat now. Add all of the olive oil and the lemon juice. Taste. It should taste like lemony mayo, not too eggy; if it’s too eggy add a little more lemon juice and a drop of your favorite vinegar. While stirring on low, begin adding the salmon, then half of the capers, then the tomato. You should have a semi-thick sauce; the potatoes should be cooler, but still a little warm. Peel and slice them about 1/4 inch thick. Place a layer of potatoes on a serving plate, add a layer of the sauce (enough to cover the potatoes), add another layer of potatoes, then sauce, then potatoes then the last of the sauce which should cover the dish completely. Add six or seven olives as decorations and sprinkle the rest of the capers on top.
Cover with plastic film and place in the fridge for a couple of hours. Remember to remove about a half hour before serving. It will keep for about three days. Serve with a dry white like Pinot Grigio or a semi-sparkling white like Vernaccia or Prosecco (a white Rioja gives it a nice twist).
Buon Appetito!
* for the lo-cal version, subsitute the eggs with egg beaters and use only vegetable oil.
