king-crab-tartlets-appetizer

Elegant King Crab Tartlets with Lemon-Dill Aioli

TOTAL
45min
PREP
30min
COOK
15min
Easy

Indulge in these sophisticated King Crab Tartlets, featuring rich, flaky crab meat encased in crisp, golden pastry cups. Topped with a zesty lemon-dill aioli, they offer a luxurious seafood starter that's surprisingly simple to prepare.

180 Calories
6g Protein
8g Carbs
14g Fats

*Nutrition per serving

Seafood
Appetizer
Party Food
Quick

Ingredients

Servings: 12
375g (13 oz) Puff Pastry
225g (8 oz) King Crab Meat
1 small (about 30g or 1 oz) Shallot
2 tbsp (about 5g) Fresh Dill
1 tbsp (about 2g) Fresh Parsley
120ml (1/2 cup) Mayonnaise
1 tbsp (15ml) Lemon Juice
1 tsp (5ml) Dijon Mustard
1 small clove Garlic
1/4 tsp (1.5g) Salt
1/8 tsp (0.5g) Black Pepper
1 large Egg

Steps

1

Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Lightly grease a 12-cup mini muffin tin or prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

2

Gently unfold the thawed puff pastry sheets. If they are large, you may need to trim them slightly to fit your mini muffin tin cups or cut them into manageable sections.

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Handle puff pastry gently to avoid deflating the layers.

3

Using a round cookie cutter or a knife, cut out 12 circles from the puff pastry, each approximately 7.5cm (3 inches) in diameter. These should be large enough to line the cups of your mini muffin tin.

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If the pastry becomes too soft, refrigerate it for a few minutes to firm up.

4

Carefully press each puff pastry circle into the prepared mini muffin cups, gently pushing them down to form a cup shape. Prick the bottom of each pastry cup a few times with a fork. This helps prevent the pastry from puffing up too much in the center.

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Ensure the pastry edges extend slightly above the rim of the muffin tin to create a neat edge.

5

Brush the edges of the puff pastry cups with the beaten egg wash. This will give them a beautiful golden sheen when baked.

6

Bake the puff pastry shells in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they are puffed up and lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and, if any shells have significantly puffed in the center, gently press them down with the back of a spoon while still warm.

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Watch closely to prevent over-browning.

7

While the pastry shells are baking, prepare the crab filling. In a medium bowl, flake the king crab meat into bite-sized pieces. Be sure to remove any remaining shell fragments.

8

Add the finely minced shallot, chopped fresh dill, and chopped fresh parsley to the bowl with the crab meat. Gently toss to combine.

9

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until smooth. This is your lemon-dill aioli base.

10

Gently fold about half of the lemon-dill aioli into the crab mixture. You want to coat the crab meat without making it overly wet. Reserve the remaining aioli for topping.

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Start with less aioli and add more if needed to achieve your desired consistency. You can also add a tablespoon or two of the aioli directly to the crab mixture if you prefer a more integrated flavor.

11

Once the puff pastry shells have cooled slightly, carefully spoon the crab mixture into each shell, filling them generously.

12

Top each filled tartlet with a small dollop of the reserved lemon-dill aioli.

13

Garnish with a tiny sprig of fresh dill or a sprinkle of extra chopped parsley, if desired, for a touch of color and freshness.

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For an extra elegant touch, you can lightly toast the crab mixture in the shells for 2-3 minutes at 180°C (350°F) before topping with aioli, ensuring the pastry is fully cooked and crisp.

14

Serve immediately or chill for up to 30 minutes before serving. These are best enjoyed fresh.

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If preparing ahead, bake the pastry shells and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Prepare the filling and aioli separately and assemble just before serving.

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