Winter Crudité with Tonnato

Photo by Michael Piazza

Inspired by an autumn trip to Piedmont, this dish is a cross between two classics: bagna cauda, a hot bath of anchovy, garlic and olive oil with a platter of cooked and raw vegetables for dunking; and vitello tonatto, a plate of cold veal dressed with blended tuna-caper mayonnaise. The tonatto is dead simple to make; whip up a little extra and serve it as a dressing for slices of leftover roast turkey, scattered with parsley and whole capers. For the crudité, buy the freshest local vegetables you can find—their winter sweetness pairs perfectly with the salty umami of the tonnato.

Makes 1½ cups tonnato, serving many as a dip

1 (3.4-ounce) can oil-packed tuna (go for the good stuff here, like Spanish Ortiz brand)
2 anchovy fillets
1 tablespoon rinsed salted capers
juice and zest of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a colorful mixed local winter vegetables, for serving: Watermelon radishes, kohlrabi, Hakurei and Scarlet Queen turnips, fennel, Romanesco, orange cauliflower, rainbow carrots

To the bowl of a food processor add tuna, anchovies, capers, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice. Pulse to blend, scraping down the sides, then add cracked black pepper and salt to taste; blend to mix. Serve in a little bowl with a drizzle of olive oil on top alongside a rainbow of local winter vegetables for dipping. Add a pile of hot roasted potatoes, if you like.

This recipe appeared in the Winter 2019 issue as part of a larger story on pantry staple hors d’oeuvres.