Beef tagliata with tonnato sauce

Name: Beef tagliata with tonnato sauce
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 × 250g sirloin steaks; sea salt; broadleaf rocket leaves, to serve; shaved parmigiano reggiano, to serve

Julia Busuttil Nishimura

November 1, 2024

Serve over peppery rocket leaves and parmigiano reggiano. Armelle Habib

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4-6

A play on the classic vitello tonnato, this beef tagliata with tonnato sauce keeps many of the same ideas from the original. However, instead of poaching a piece of veal, I’ve chosen beef in the form of sirloin steaks, which are more readily available.

The tonnato sauce – salty, briny and fresh – is a quick concoction that really works here, drizzled over the steak nestled among peppery rocket leaves and parmigiano reggiano.

Ingredients

3 × 250g sirloin steaks
sea salt
broadleaf rocket leaves, to serve
shaved parmigiano reggiano, to serve

FOR THE TONNATO SAUCE

125g canned tuna in olive oil, drained
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp salted capers, rinsed and drained, plus extra to serve
2 anchovy fillets
150ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
sea salt
black pepper

Method

Step 1
For the tonnato sauce, place the tuna, lemon juice, capers and anchovy fillets in a blender or food processor and blitz until combined. With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water and blitz again. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and set aside.
Step 2
Preheat a barbecue grill or chargrill pan over a medium–high heat. Season the steaks with salt and drizzle a little olive oil over both sides. Grill the steaks for 5 minutes on each side or until medium-rare. Remove from the pan and rest for 5-8 minutes.
Step 3
Cut the steaks into slices 1cm thick and arrange on a serving plate with the rocket. Top with the shaved parmigiano reggiano, the tonnato sauce and some extra capers.

This is an extract from Good Cooking Every Day, by Julia Busuttil Nishimura (Plum; RRP $45), out now.