Seafood platter tart

Seafood platter tart

This impressive seafood platter tart with crab, scallops, prawns and squid will make your guests’ mouths water. If short on time, replace homemade with a ready-made mayo and whizz with the brown crab meat
  • Preparation:
  • Cooking:
  • Total:
  • Serves: 8 persons

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Step 1

    Put the flour, 2 tbsp of dill and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse briefly until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Switch the processor to auto and briefly blitz, gradually adding water 1 tbsp at a time, until the mixture just starts to come together to form a dough – you should need no more than 4 tbsp water. Tip the mixture onto a lightly floured work surface and gently bring it together with your hands, shaping into a rough rectangle. Wrap and chill for at least 30 mins before using.
  2. Step 2

    Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface until about 3mm thick and slightly larger than a loose-bottomed, fluted 36cm x 12cm tart tin. Use the rolling pin to lift the pastry and drape into the tin, tucking into the corners and ensuring there are no trapped air bubbles. Roll the pin over the top to cut off any excess pastry, then chill for 30 mins.
  3. Step 3

    Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Prick the base of the pastry case with a fork a few times, line with baking paper and add baking beans to weigh it down. Bake for 15 mins, then carefully remove the paper and beans, and bake for a further 15 mins or until golden. Set aside on a wire rack to cool.
  4. Step 4

    To make the filling, put the egg yolks, vinegar and mustard in a clean food processor bowl and blitz to combine. Mix together 175ml each of vegetable and olive oils in a small bowl or jug. Switch to auto and, as the motor is running, very slowly pour in the oil. Don’t rush this stage otherwise it may split – it can take up to 20 mins. Once emulsified and you have a thick, creamy mayo, add the brown crab meat and blitz. Season and add half the lemon juice. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
  5. Step 5

    Put 1 tsp of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and, once hot, fry the prawns for 2-3 mins, turning often until just pink. Transfer to a large bowl. Add another tsp of oil and cook the scallops for 1 min-1 min 30 seconds per side or until golden. Transfer to the bowl with the prawns. Turn up the heat to the high and, once really hot, add the squid strips, scored-side up. Let them cook for a minute, then turn them over. Cook for a minute more – they should curl and looked a bit charred. Add to the seafood bowl. Combine the remaining dill, olive oil and lemon juice in a small bowl. Toss with the seafood, seasoning lightly, and leave for 10 mins until cooled.
  6. Step 6

    Once the pastry is completely cooled, fill with half the mayo – keep the rest for another time. Arrange the seafood on top, keeping the prawn tails upright, and scatter with dill. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and thin strips of lemon zest, and serve.