Crab in Filo

This little canape is very light and delicate and if you have a stash of baked filo cases, its very very quick to make. If you don't have any baked filo cases, be sure to make extra this time. They keep in an airtight tin almost for ever and they are a great standby to spoon something delicious into.

The crab salad can also be used as a delicious make ahead starter, the quantity below would serve 4. At a recent class, we spooned the crab into a ring and then poured a small quantity of cucumber gazpacho around. It looked very pretty dressed with a few small leaves.

Ingredients - makes approximately 20

Filo pastry

Grape seed oil or other mild oil or melted butter

100g tub of Seafood and Eat It Fifty Fifty crab - use all the white meat and 1 tbs brown to add depth of flavour

1 tbsp Mayonnaise

4 cm piece of cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped finely

1/4 crispy apple, peeled and chopped finely

1 tsp chopped dill plus extra for decoration

0.5 tsp chopped tarragon

1 tsp chopped chives

1 tsp lemon juice

Zest of 1/2 lemon

Salt to taste

Romaine lettuce leaves

Mini tartlet tin

Method

To make filo cases:

Brush the inside of the tin with a little oil.

Cut the filo sheet into strips 4.5 cms wide and then cut the strips to make squares, each measuring around 4.5 x 4.5 cms. Oil the squares. Keep the pastry well covered with cling film.

Press a square gently into the tin and top with another filo square, placed at a different angle. Brush with some more oil. Continue until the tin is filled. Take care to keep filo covered when not working with it. It dries out very quickly.

Cook in the oven for 6-8 minutes at 180°c. Bake until golden brown, but watch the filo cases don’t burn, they overcook very easily.

Cool on a rack and store in an airtight tin. They will keep for several days, so can be made well ahead.

For the crab filling:

Mix the crab meat with the chopped apple and cucumber and the mayonnaise. Stir in the lemon juice and zest and the chopped herbs. Can be made a day ahead.

To prepare several hours before serving:

Stamp out some romaine lettuce circles and put a small spoonful of crab on each circle. Store covered on damp paper towel in the fridge.