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Crab tart with lemony asparagus salad
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 280g ready-made shortcrust pastry
- 250g fresh white crabmeat
- 3 egg yolks
- 200ml double cream
- 1tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 75g freshly grated Comté cheese (or Gruyère)
- 250g asparagus spears, trimmed and halved
- 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- juice 1⁄2 lemon
- 1⁄2tsp Dijon mustard
- small handful rocket leaves
- few fresh tarragon leaves
- salt and pepper
Method
You can buy fresh crabmeat from fishmongers or online (sold frozen). Alternatively, buy freshly cooked crab and pick out all the meat yourself.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ Gas 6. Press the pastry into a 12 x 35cm rectangular tart tin, trim excess and prick the base with a fork. Chill for 20 minutes, then fill with baking paper and beans and bake for 12 minutes. Remove paper and beans and cook for 10-12 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Set aside.
Pick through the crabmeat and discard any cartilage. Beat the egg yolks, cream, tarragon, cayenne and salt and pepper together until smooth. Stir in the crabmeat and three-quarters of the cheese. Spoon into the pastry case and bake for 30 minutes, until golden and firm. Let cool.
Blanch the asparagus in a pan of lightly salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water and pat dry. Set aside.
Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Arrange the tart on a board and scatter over the asparagus, rocket and tarragon. Drizzle over the dressing and serve in slices.
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