Pickled asparagus tonnato

Pickled asparagus tonnato

This stunning plate is inspired by northern Italian dish vitello tonnato – finely sliced veal topped with silky tuna sauce and capers. Our version switches the meat for quick-pickled asparagus which works so well with the creamy tuna sauce. A dish perfect for spring (any leftovers make an immense sandwich).

Pickled asparagus tonnato

Make the most of asparagus season with more delicious asparagus recipe ideas.

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  • Serves icon Serves 2
  • Time icon Hands-on time 20 min

This stunning plate is inspired by northern Italian dish vitello tonnato – finely sliced veal topped with silky tuna sauce and capers. Our version switches the meat for quick-pickled asparagus which works so well with the creamy tuna sauce. A dish perfect for spring (any leftovers make an immense sandwich).

Make the most of asparagus season with more delicious asparagus recipe ideas.

Love this recipe? Get more to your door every month! See our offer to get five magazines for £5.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
653kcals
Fat
47.2g (7g saturated)
Protein
26g
Carbohydrates
29.1g (28.7g sugars)
Fibre
3.7g
Salt
0.7g

Ingredients

  • 300g asparagus
  • 100ml cider vinegar
  • 100ml water
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp dried dill
  • 160g tin tuna in sunflower oil, drained
  • 1 medium free-range egg yolk
  • 75ml olive oil
  • Juice 1 lemon
  • ¼ red onion, very finely chopped
  • Dill sprigs to garnish
  • Extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle
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Method

  1. Trim off the woody ends of the asparagus (and remember to save them!) then put in a pan with the vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seeds and dried dill. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes, then take off the heat and set aside to cool in the liquid.
  2. To make the sauce, put the tuna and egg yolk in a food processor and whizz together. Then, with the motor still running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a thin stream. If the mixture seems a little thick after adding all the oil, add a splash of water – you want it to be a little thicker than double cream, but still loose enough to pour. Taste and season with plenty of lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  3. Pour the sauce onto a serving dish, then drain the asparagus and arrange the spears on top. Sprinkle over the red onion and dill sprigs then finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
653kcals
Fat
47.2g (7g saturated)
Protein
26g
Carbohydrates
29.1g (28.7g sugars)
Fibre
3.7g
Salt
0.7g

delicious. tips

  1. The tuna sauce is an emulsion (like a mayonnaise) so if it starts to split, you can add a dash of iced water which should bring it back into something smooth and silky.

    Keep the pickle liquor as it can be reused – finely sliced cucumber or radishes are our favourites.

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By:

Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

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