Description
The Crab and Tarragon Tart is an elegant seafood dish featuring a flaky, buttery shortcrust pastry filled with a creamy, herb-infused mixture of fresh crab meat, tarragon, shallots, lemon, and eggs. This tart combines delicate sweetness and brightness with a balanced texture, making it perfect for sophisticated dinners, entertaining guests, or classy brunches.
Ingredients
Crust
- Shortcrust pastry (enough to line a tart pan, about 9 inches)
- Butter (for sautéing shallots and enriching crust texture)
Filling
- Fresh crab meat, about 8 ounces (preferably lump crab)
- Fresh tarragon, 2 tablespoons finely chopped
- Shallots, 2 medium, finely chopped
- Heavy cream, 3/4 cup
- Eggs, 3 large
- Lemon zest and juice, from 1 lemon
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Pastry: Roll out your shortcrust pastry and carefully line a tart pan. Chill it briefly to prevent shrinking during baking.
- Blind Bake the Crust: Line the pastry with parchment paper, fill with pie weights, and bake at 375°F (190°C) until the edges are golden and set, about 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, and bake a few minutes more if needed to keep crust crisp.
- Sauté Shallots: Finely chop the shallots and gently sauté them in butter over medium heat until they are translucent and fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Mix the Filling: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Fold in the sautéed shallots, chopped fresh tarragon, and delicate fresh crab meat gently to preserve texture.
- Assemble and Bake: Pour the filling mixture into the blind-baked tart crust. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is set with a slight golden hue.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the tart to cool slightly to develop flavors and make slicing easier. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with fresh tarragon sprigs and a drizzle of lemon-infused olive oil.
Notes
- Use fresh lump crab meat for the best texture and flavor.
- Gently fold filling ingredients to keep the crab’s delicate texture intact.
- Blind baking the crust prevents sogginess and ensures crispness.
- Let the tart cool before slicing to help it set and improve flavor melding.
- Adjust tarragon quantity to suit your preferred herbal intensity.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of tart)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg