SHELLFISH TARTS

Prep time: 30 minutes, plus chilling time Cook time: 50 minutes

Serves 6 as a starter

These are good for a dinner party. It’s up to you what shellfish you use; prawns also work well, or you can push the boat out and add lobster. If using crab alone, mix brown and white meat.

INGREDIENTS

– a good knob of butter,

plus extra for greasing – 2 x sheets ready-rolled

all-butter puff pastry – 300g mussels, well

rinsed

– 100ml white wine

– 2 large shallots, or ½ small leek, finely chopped

– 2 tsp English mustard – 300ml double cream – 100g cheddar or

Parmesan, finely grated – 1 tbsp chopped parsley – 150g white crabmeat, or other shredded shellfish meat

METHOD Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6.

Lightly grease 6 10cm tart tins. Unroll the pastry and cut out 6 circles 12-13cm in diameter. Prick them all over with a fork, then use them to line the tins. Trim the edges.

Line each tart case with greaseproof paper. Fill with baking beans. Chill for 15-20 minutes.

Set on a baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are colouring. Allow to cool a little, remove the baking beans and paper, and bake the tart cases for a further 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the mussels in a saucepan with the white wine. Put a lid on and steam over a medium heat for a few minutes, until they have opened. Discard any that haven’t. Drain in a colander over a bowl to reserve the juices.

Gently cook the shallot or leek in the butter for 2-3 minutes, until soft. Add the mustard then strain in the mussel juices through a fine-meshed sieve. Simmer until there’s 1 tbsp liquid left.

Add the cream, bring to the boil and simmer until reduced by two thirds, then stir in 40g of the cheese and season.

Remove the mussels from their shells and stir into the sauce along with the parsley and crab/ other shellfish meat.

Turn the oven up to 220C/200C fan/gas mark 7. Fill the tart cases with the mixture and scatter over the rest of the cheese. Return to the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is lightly coloured.