Today, hunter and chef Jonas Baumgärtner is taking on an Italian antipasti classic, vitello tonnato – but with a twist. Instead of the traditional choice of veal, Jonas is preparing wild boar in a tuna sauce.
It’s on the menu of every Italian restaurant, from the neighborhood pizza place to sophisticated, fine-dining restaurants. We’re talking about vitello tonnato, the antipasti classic from the Piedmont region of northern Italy. It’s a dish of cooked veal, sliced wafer-thin and paired with a creamy tuna-based sauce. But can we do one better?
Jonas Baumgärtner, a game chef who runs two restaurants under the name “Der wilde Wirt” in Ulm and Markbronn, thinks so. He makes his vitello tonnato with hearty boar loin. Strictly speaking, then, we should call it cinghiale tonnato. Regardless, the main thing is that it tastes good!
Now it’s getting wild!
Let’s get started! Today, we’re cooking vitello tonnato with wild boar, capers and tomatoes.
Ingredients
Serves 4
-
- 400g wild boar loin
- 125g tinned tuna (in oil)
- 75g mayonnaise
- 100ml milk
- 1 garlic clove
- 150g Kalamata olives, pitted
- 4 caper berries
- 4 mint leaves
- ½ lemon
- Zest of ¼ orange
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Salt, pepper
Method
Sear the wild boar loin on both sides over a high heat and season with salt and pepper. Cook in the oven at 120°C (250°F) for 45 minutes. Then leave the meat to rest before carving into thin slices.
Purée the mayonnaise, tuna, milk and garlic clove into a smooth sauce using a hand-held blender or a food processor. Season to taste with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and the juice of the lemon.
Using a blender or food processor, combine the olives with 100ml olive oil, orange zest, salt and mint until smooth and creamy.
Marinate the tomatoes in salt, pepper and vinegar and then bake in the oven at 140°C (285°F) for about 35 minutes.
Finally, mix everything together and garnish with the capers and herbs to taste.
Still not had your fill of Jonas’ recipes? Check out his recipe for trout on a bed of tomatoes here.
