This Asparagus and Crab Tart brings together tender spring asparagus with delicate fresh crab meat in a creamy, lemony custard that bakes in a crisp shortcrust case. The flavours are light and elegant, with the thyme and garlic dressed salad adding a bright, herbal contrast that lifts the richness of the tart. Serve it warm or just cooled, sliced neatly, for a special‑looking main that feels both sophisticated and comforting.
Prep: less than 30 min
Cook: 30 min to 1 hour
Serves: Serves 4–6
Dietary: Nut‑free
By Richard Bainbridge
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes
Nutri‑Score B reflects a balanced savoury dish with moderate fat and protein from double cream, eggs and crab, offset by vegetables and a light salad.
Per serving (approx. 1/6 of the tart): 380 kcal, Fat 28g, Carbs 20g, Sugars 3g, Fibre 2g, Protein 18g.
Equipment
Ingredients
Pastry
- 250g plain flour
- Pinch sea salt
- 125g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 free‑range egg yolk
Filling
- 8 spears asparagus, trimmed
- 5 free‑range eggs
- 225ml double cream
- 75ml whole milk
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
- 1 tbsp wild garlic, finely chopped (optional)
- 200g fresh white crab meat, picked
- 75g Parmesan or blue cheese, grated
- Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
Thyme and garlic dressed salad
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 5g Dijon mustard
- 5g wholegrain mustard
- 30ml white wine vinegar
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves finely chopped
- 100ml olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 25g seasonal salad leaves
Customise
- Swap plain flour for a gluten‑free flour blend if needed, but keep the butter and egg yolk to maintain structure.
- Use blue cheese instead of Parmesan for a richer, more piquant note that contrasts with the sweet crab.
- Replace fresh white crab meat with a mix of white and brown crab meat for deeper flavour if you enjoy a stronger seafood taste.
- If wild garlic is not available, substitute with a small amount of finely chopped chives or a handful of fresh parsley.
- For a lighter filling, slightly reduce the double cream and add a little extra whole milk while keeping the same egg quantity.
Method
1. Making the pastry and chilling (10 minutes active, 30 minutes chill)
- Put the plain flour and sea salt into a large bowl and rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the egg yolk and 1–2 tbsp cold water and use your hands to gently bring the dough together, adding a little more water only if it is too dry.
- Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes so the gluten relaxes and the butter stays firm.
2. Preheating and rolling out the pastry (10 minutes)
- Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6 so it is ready while you line and blind bake the tart.
- Roll the chilled pastry out on a lightly floured surface to about 1 cm thick and then drape it carefully into a 23 cm tart tin, pressing it into the edges.
- Trim the edges of the pastry neatly with a knife or your rolling pin, then prick the base with a fork so it does not puff up too much.
3. Blind baking the tart case (15–20 minutes)
- Line the pastry case with a sheet of greaseproof paper and fill it with baking beans, then place the tin in the oven.
- Blind bake for 15 minutes until the edges start to look pale golden, then lift out the beans and paper and bake for a further 5 minutes until the base is lightly coloured.
- Remove the tart case from the oven and leave it on the tray to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
4. Preparing the asparagus and custard (10 minutes)
- Bring a small pan of salted water to the boil and cook the asparagus spears for 1–2 minutes until just tender, then drain and plunge them into a bowl of ice water.
- Drain the asparagus and pat it dry with kitchen paper, then cut any thick spears in half lengthways so they lie flat on the tart.
- Whisk the eggs, double cream, whole milk, Dijon mustard and lemon zest together in a bowl until smooth and season lightly with salt and white pepper, remembering the crab is delicate.
- Fold the chopped chives and wild garlic into the custard so the herbs are evenly distributed.
5. Assembling and baking the tart (30–35 minutes)
- Scatter the crab meat evenly over the slightly cooled pastry base so each slice of tart has a good amount of seafood.
- Pour the custard gently over the crab and then sprinkle the grated Parmesan or blue cheese on top without over‑mixing.
- Arrange the asparagus spears neatly across the surface so they fan out and create an attractive pattern.
- Bake the tart at 150–175°C fan for 30–35 minutes until the filling is just set and shows a gentle wobble in the centre; overcooking will make it rubbery.
- Remove the tart from the oven and leave it to rest for 10–15 minutes so the filling settles and slices cleanly.
6. Making the thyme and garlic dressed salad (5 minutes)
- Grate the garlic clove into a small bowl and add the Dijon mustard, wholegrain mustard and white wine vinegar, whisking until smooth.
- Stir in the finely chopped thyme leaves and then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously to form a stable emulsion.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and taste the dressing, adjusting the acidity or oil if it feels too sharp or too rich.
- Add the seasonal salad leaves to a mixing bowl and toss through just enough of the dressing so every leaf is lightly coated.
7. Serving the asparagus and crab tart (2 minutes)
- Use a sharp knife to slice the tart into wedges and transfer them carefully to warmed plates.
- Arrange a small handful of the dressed thyme and garlic salad beside each slice so the bright green leaves contrast with the golden crust and creamy filling.
- Serve the tart while still warm or just cooled to room temperature to highlight the tender asparagus, delicate crab and crisp pastry.