Rare beef tonnato with capers

Name: Rare beef tonnato with capers
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 12 spears thick asparagus; 2 tbsp shaved pecorino or parmigiano; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; sea salt and pepper; 2 or 3 slices rare roast beef per person; 1 tbsp tiny salted capers, rinsed; 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley leaves or mustard cress

Jill Dupleix

October 18, 2011

Time:< 30 minsServes:4

Pick up some rare roast beef from the deli and whiz up Italy's creamy tuna and anchovy dressing to serve with a shaved asparagus and pecorino salad for easy do-ahead entertaining.

Ingredients

12 spears thick asparagus
2 tbsp shaved pecorino or parmigiano
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
sea salt and pepper
2 or 3 slices rare roast beef per person
1 tbsp tiny salted capers, rinsed
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley leaves or mustard cress

Tonnato sauce

185g tuna in oil
3 anchovy fillets
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp light mayonnaise
1 tbsp horseradish cream
1 tbsp tiny salted capers, rinsed
100 ml light chicken stock

Method

To make the sauce, whiz the tuna, anchovies, lemon juice, mayonnaise, horseradish and capers in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add the stock gradually until it feels pourable. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
Shave or finely slice the asparagus, discarding the woody stems, and toss with olive oil, vinegar, pecorino, sea salt and pepper.
Arrange the roast beef in folds on four dinner plates and use a spoon to stripe the sauce over the top. Scatter with capers and parsley, and serve with the salad and a jug of the remaining sauce.