Crab-Lemongrass Tartlets
Copyright, 1999, Ming Tsai, All Rights Reserved
1/2 pound crabmeat, picked
4 stalks minced lemon grass, white part only
4 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sliced green scallions
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 package frozen puff pastry
Mix crabmeat, lemon grass, eggs, cream, scallions and season well with salt and pepper.
Using a muffin tin cut small circles of puff pastry that has already been docked (pricked with a fork to allow steam to escape, thus preventing too much bubbling on the surface of the pastry during the blind baking stage). Spray the tins with cooking spray and line each one with the cut pastry. Line each tartlet shell with foil and fill with rice to help keep the shape. Bake blind (without the filling) at 350-degrees until golden, about 10 minutes. Pull out foil and bake 5 more minutes to ensure the bottom is nearly cooked through.
Fill cups with crab mixture. Bake another 15 to 20 minutes until mixture solidifies and the pastry is completely cooked. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Plating: Line a plate with iceberg lettuce and place tartlets on top.