Souffléd Crab & Asparagus Tart
June's balmy sunshine has done wonders for my little courtyard garden. Pots full of lush summer herbs, oregano, marjoram, parsley and fennel fill every nook, along with edible flowers such as nasturtiums, violas, roses, borage and lavender. The coriander has bolted, but I love to use the dainty flowers in salads and as a garnish. Tiny cucumber plants gifted by kindly neighbour a few weeks ago are now almost fully grown, with the promise of a heavy crop. A rather sorry looking tomato seedling has perked up in the sunshine with tiny fruit beginning to form.While my garden thrives, other seasonal produce sadly comes to end. The English asparagus season traditionally finishes on the summer solstice on 21st June. The last month or so has been spent enjoying freshest of spears, simply with melted butter or fresh hollandaise, dipped in perfectly runny egg or sprinkled with parmesan. I wanted to celebrate the end of the season with something special. This Souffléd Crab & Asparagus Tart is as light as air, perfect for entertaining al fresco or a picnic. I serve it with a simple green herb and edible flower salad, but you could add some buttered new potatoes sprinkled with chives to make it a little more substantial.
Souffléd Crab & Asparagus Tart
Adapted from BBC Good Food Recipe
Ingredients
For the pastry
175g plain flour
85g chilled unsalted butter, diced, plus extra for greasing
1/2 teaspoon salt
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For the filling
25g butter
25g plain flour
300ml whole milk
freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
150g white crab meat
250g fine asparagus spears
3 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan
Instructions
Lightly grease a 23cm tart tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper.
Make the pastry by placing the flour and butter in a large bowl Add the butter and rub in gently with the fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add three tablespoons of iced water until the pastry comes together in a ball. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and use it to line the prepared tin. Leave any pastry hanging over the edge of the tin. Chill the tin in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.
Scrunch up some baking paper and use it to line the pastry filled tin. Fill the baking paper with baking beans or rice.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and trim off the excess pastry.
Reduce the oven temperature to 190C/170C fan/Gas 5.
Make the filling for the tart by melting the butter in medium sized pan. Stir in the the flour and cook for a minute, before adding the milk a little at a time, stirring continuously. When the sauce has thickened and is smooth and glossy, stir in a grating of nutmeg and the chilli powder. Set aside to cool slightly.
Remove the woody ends from the asparagus and cut into pieces (approximately 1 inch). Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and add the asparagus to a bowl of iced water.
Add the crabmeat to the sauce and stir gently to combine.
Drain the asparagus and pat dry with some kitchen roll. Scatter over the tart case.
Stir the egg yolks into the sauce Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold gently into the sauce in three batches.
Pour the mixture into the tart case and sprinkle with parmesan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until puffed and golden.