DECADENT CHEESY CRAB, ASPARAGUS, AND MUSHROOM TARTS

Seafood|Award Winner|Breads and Pastries|Brunch

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups leeks, white and light green parts chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 pint button or cremini mushrooms, rough sliced

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

1 bunch thin-medium asparagus spears, about ¾-1 pound

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)

2, 5.2-ounce packages soft garlic herb cheese (like Boursin or Alouette)

1, 8 ounce package Phillips Premium Special Crab Meat

1, 8 ounce package Phillips Premium Lump Crab Meat

1, 17.3 ounce package frozen puff pastry dough (2 sheets), thawed

2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons water

2 teaspoons chives, chopped

Lemon slices for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the leeks, garlic, mushrooms, and red peppers to the pan and cook until soft and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.

Cut the woody ends off the bottom of the asparagus spears (about 2”) and discard. Cut the stalks into 2-3” pieces and add them to the pan along with the salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Cook for 2 minutes more, stirring, and then turn off the heat. Stir in the soft garlic and herb cheese until everything is evenly coated. Fold in all of the crab meat taking care not to break up the lumps. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the dough.

Place the puff pastry dough on a lightly floured countertop and, using a rolling pin, roll each of the sheets into a rectangle approximately 11” x 13”. Cut each sheet in half forming 4, 5 ½” x 6 ½” rectangles. Place these on a large baking sheet (or 2 medium baking sheets) covered with parchment paper.

Spread about ¼ cup of the Gruyere cheese over the center of each piece of dough, leaving 1” of dough exposed around the edges. Divide the filling into 4 parts and place it on top of the cheese on each piece of dough. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyere over the top of the filling on each.

Fold the exposed 1” edges of dough over the filling, pulling slightly and pinching the edges together forming rustic tarts with the filling in the center exposed.

Combine the egg yolk with the water and brush the egg wash all over the edges of the exposed dough on the crust.

Bake for 14-15 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Garnish with chives and lemon slices. DEVOUR!