Tuna Tartare, Basil Oil, and #trepiani (recipe)

People love food, and they love Instagram. Therefore, every month we choose one of our customers' food photos (they must be hashtagged #trepiani, #food, and #newjerseyfood) and the talented photographer gets a gift card to Tre Piani. Plus, we’ll share the recipe with you.

April’s winner was a photograph of our tuna tartare taken by Gabrielle Dragan of Skillman, NJ (bellow). Here is the recipe.

Tuna Tartare

1 pound sushi-grade yellowfin tuna

Grated fresh ginger from about 1/2-inch knob

Three tablespoons light olive oil

Three tablespoons chopped parsley

One teaspoon minced jalapeño (or to taste)

One teaspoon toasted black and white sesame seeds

One tablespoon finely chopped chives

One teaspoon soy sauce

1½ tablespoons lemon juice

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

One handful arugula leaves

Pickled onions (recipe follows)

1/4 cup basil oil (recipe follows)

1/4 cup wasabi aioli (recipe follows)

Dice the tuna into ⅛-inch cubes (you’ll need a very sharp knife). In a large bowl, combine the tuna with the ginger, oil, parsley, jalapeño, sesame seeds, chives, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Mix gently and season with salt and pepper.

Place one ½-inch and two ¼-inch round molds or biscuit cutters in the center of a salad plate. Fill the molds with tuna tartare and press gently. Lift and repeat with the remaining tartare.

Dress the arugula with a squeeze of lemon, some salt, and olive oil and top each mold with a few leaves. Top the arugula with pickled onions. Drizzle the basil oil and wasabi aioli around each tartare. Serve immediately with crostini.

Pickled Onions

One medium firm red onion

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Five black peppercorns

Five allspice berries

One sprig of thyme

Special equipment: a clean jar or container to store the onions

Bring 3 cups of water to boil. Peel and slice the onion into about ¼-inch half-moons.

In the same container you’ll be using to store the onions, combine sugar, salt, vinegar, peppercorns, allspice, and thyme. Stir to dissolve. Place the onions in the sieve and place the sieve in the sink. Slowly pour the boiling water over the onions and let them wilt as they drain.

Add the onions to the jar and stir gently to mingle evenly with the flavorings.

The onions are ready in about 30 minutes, and they get even better after a few hours. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Basil Oil

2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves

3/4 cup olive oil

Blanch the basil in a saucepan of boiling water for ten seconds. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water. Pat dry with tea towels or paper towels. Transfer to blender. Add oil, salt, and pepper and process until smooth. Cover and chill, but let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before using.

Wasabi Aioli

¼ cup mayonnaise (homemade is the best)

Two teaspoons wasabi powder

One tablespoon lime juice

½ teaspoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger

Combine all ingredients and correct seasoning.