Makes 24 Small Tarts or 6 x 8cm Tarts

Shortcrust Pastry

250gm Plain Flour

125gm Unsalted Butter. Diced

Pinch salt

50ml cold water

Filling

2 live mud crabs

1 onion, finely sliced

1 clove garlic

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 bay leaf

1 tbs tomato paste

1/2 vanilla bean

pinch saffron threads

2 cups cream

1 whole egg + 2 yolks

1/2 cup chopped mixed herbs (parsley, chervil, chives, tarragon)

50 ml lemon juice

50ml olive oil

salt and pepper

ground mace

Method

Place the flour, butter and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the butter resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add just enough water to bring the dough together, wrap and rest in a cool place.

Put the mud crabs in the freezer until they go to sleep.

Cook the mud crabs one at a time in a large pot of heavily salted boiling water, allowing 12 minutes cooking time per 500gm of crab. Remove to iced water to cool.

Clean crabs and remove all meat, reserving shells.

Saute onion, garlic, carrot and bay leaf in a little olive oil until soft. Add crab shells, increase heat and fry 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring continuously.

Cover with cold water and allow to come slowly to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, and reduce liquid to about 1/4 cup. Add cream, saffron and scraped vanilla bean and bring to the boil.

Allow to cool before whisking in egg and yolks. Season with salt and white pepper.

Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3 mm thick, cut circles to fit small muffin tins and gently press them into place. Blind bake the tart shells until 3/4 cooked, spoon in custard mixture and bake at 160*C for 8 – 10 minutes until just set.

Mix crab meat and soft herbs, dress with lemon juice and olive oil and check seasoning.

Place a spoonful of mixture on top of each tart, sprinkle with mace and serve immediately.