Description
This Crab and Tarragon Tart is a delightful savory dish combining fresh crab meat, aromatic tarragon, and creamy Gruyère cheese in a buttery tart shell. Perfect as an elegant appetizer or a light main course, this tart is baked to golden perfection with a rich, custardy filling and subtle hints of lemon and herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
Tart Base
- 1 pre-made pie crust or tart shell
Filling
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup fresh crab meat, picked over for shells
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)
- 1/2 cup grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the pre-made pie crust into a tart pan and prick the base all over with a fork to prevent bubbling during baking.
- Blind bake the crust: Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans to hold the shape. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly set but not browned.
- Sauté aromatics: In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant, then remove from heat.
- Mix the custard: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, chopped tarragon, lemon juice, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until fully combined.
- Combine filling ingredients: Stir the sautéed onion and garlic, fresh crab meat, and grated Gruyère cheese into the egg mixture carefully to maintain a light texture.
- Fill the tart shell: Pour the crab and egg filling into the partially baked tart crust, spreading it evenly.
- Bake the tart: Return the tart to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is set and the top is lightly golden brown.
- Cool and garnish: Allow the tart to cool slightly before slicing, which helps the filling set further. Optionally, garnish with additional fresh tarragon leaves before serving for extra aroma and color.
Notes
- You can substitute dried tarragon if fresh is unavailable, but use half the quantity.
- Make sure to pick through the crab meat carefully to remove any shells for a pleasant eating experience.
- Blind baking the crust prevents it from becoming soggy once the liquid filling is added.
- This tart can be served warm or at room temperature.
- Gruyère cheese can be replaced with Swiss cheese if preferred.
