Fresh Crab Tartlets with Lemon Mayonnaise Recipe

Ingredients

For the pastry:

• 175g (6oz) plain flour
• 100g (4oz) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small squares
• ½tsp salt
• 1 large, free-range egg yolk

For the tartlets:

• 200g (7oz) brown crab meat
• 300g (10oz) white crab meat
• 1tbsp mayonnaise
• ½tbsp Dijon mustard
• juice ½ lemon
• 2tbsp chopped chives
• 2 bunches watercress, leaves picked

you will need:

• 6 x 12.5cm (5in) tartlet tins

Method

1. To make the pastry, combine the flour, butter and salt in a food processor, and whizz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of very cold water. Transfer the flour mixture to a large bowl, then pour over half the liquid and stir quickly with a palette knife or wooden spoon. If the mixture looks too dry, add some more liquid until the pastry is just coming together. Be careful not to add too much liquid or the pastry will become tough.

2. Bring the pastry together quickly with your hands, turn out on to a floured surface and knead a couple of times to bring it together. Shape the pastry into a flattish circle, wrap in clingfilm and chill for about half an hour.

3. Remove the clingfilm from the pastry and roll it out on a floured surface until it’s about the thickness of a 50p coin. Divide the pastry into 6 and carefully line 6 tart cases, leaving on the overhanging pastry. Chill the cases for at least half an hour (they can also be chilled overnight). Meanwhile, heat the oven to 190 C, 170 C fan, 375 F, gas 5.

4. Blind-bake the pastry cases for about 15 minutes, until the pastry is completely sandy coloured and there are no grey patches. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, then trim off the overhanging pastry with a serrated knife.

5. While they’re cooking, mix the crab meat with the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon and chives, and season well. When the tart cases are cool, divide the crab mixture between them and garnish each tart with a little watercress. The pastry cases will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container, and the crab mixture will keep overnight in the fridge.