Vitello tonnato 2026

Vitello tonnato is a classic Italian dish in traditional trattorias. It has lately become chic in upscale Italian and Parisian restaurants.

The dish was created in Piedmont and was usually served as a first course. Combined with some good country bread and a green side salad it can be served as lunch or dinner in hot summer, preferably with a glass of chilled Italian white wine.

For the veal, they recommend quasi de veau, fillet of veal, which is the most tender. Some Italian recipes use also rond de veau, round steak of veal, piccata.

2 servings

About 300- 400 g fillet of veal

For the sauce:

1 organic egg yolk

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

4 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. lemon juice

30 g tinned tuna

2 minced anchovy fillets

2 tsp. capers

Freshly ground black pepper

For the decoration:

Chopped fresh herbs

Lightly colour the veal in a heavy casserole such as Le Creuset. Cover, reduce the heat to medium- low and cook for about 15- 20 minutes. The meat should still be a bit pink inside.  Let the meat get thoroughly cold by placing it for several hours in the refrigerator. Then cut into thin slices. 

Place the egg yolk in a dish. Slowly pour in the olive oil whisking all the time to make the mayonnaise. Place all the other ingredients and the maynnaise in a mixing dish and with a hand- held mixer obtain a smooth sauce.

Divide the veal slices on the plates and dot with the sauce. Decorate with fresh herbs.

Queyras: Col de Bouchet from Valpréveyre

Col de Bouchet Italian side

Col de Bouchet French side

Leaving Valpréveyre

Forest near Valpréveyre

Crossing Bouchet Torrent

Avalanche snow still in July

Crossing last winter's avalanche

Larch wood above Bouchet Torrent

Bric Bouchet seen from trail

Bouchet Valley

Final rocky trail to Col de Bouchet

Final push to Col de Bouchet

Col de Bouchet view Italy

Ibex near Refuge Nino Sardi

Col de Bouchet under nebbia

Ristolas(Queyras): Hike to the Ségure Lake

Nesting high above and south of the Village of Ristolas (1600 m) in the Queyras Regional Park, the Lake Ségure (or Lacroix) at 2383 m can be reached along a good trail from Ristolas.

Ristolas leaving the hotel

Trailhead to Lake Ségure

Above Ristolas

Track in Ségure Valley

Ségure Valley and Torrent

Path to Ségure Lake

Ségure Valley seen from lake

Lake Ségure hike track

Closeup of Lake Ségure

Ristolas

Spring lamb

Spring lamb, agneau de lait, is 3- 5 months up to 12 months old. It is very tender and pink in colour but not as flavourful as older not so tender lamb. I have never seen lamb sold as spring lamb in our supermarket in Nice, although some meat is lighter in colour in springtime. 

The following recipe gives flavour to any lamb and a splash of red wine tenderises the meat.

If you can, pick wild rosemary from the mountains for this recipe. Serve the lamb with sweet potato purée and fried white asparagus.

2 servings

About 300 g boneless spring lamb or 2 slices of lamb leg

5 tbsp olive oil

A bouquet of fresh rosemary and 2 rosemary sprigs for decoration

2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

100 ml red wine

1 medium sweet potato

10 sprigs of white asparagus

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 210° C roast.

Peel the sweet potato, chop it coarsely and cook in boiling water for about 20 minutes until soft. Drain keeping just 1 tbsp. of cooking water in the saucepan. Add 1 tbsp. very tasty olive, purée and cover with a lid to keep warm.

Wash and peel 8 sprigs of white asparagus. Warm 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan and cook the asparagus for about 10 minutes until soft.

Cut the lamb into large pieces discarding the fat and bone. Place 3 tbsp. olive oil in a smallish oven-proof dish and turn the  lamb and garlic in it until well coated with oil.  Roast in the oven for 10 minutes in 210° C.

Remove the lamb from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 180° C. Pour the red wine over the lamb and add the rosemary bouquet between the lamb pieces. Roast for 15 minutes in 180° C.

Remove the lamb from the oven and grind over some black pepper. Serve the lamb over sweet potato purée with the white asparagus. Decorate with a sprig of rosemary.