CRAB & ASPARAGUS QUICHE CUPCAKES

This year, enjoy your Easter eggs in cupcake form with personal-sized crab and asparagus quiches.  Each quiche “cupcake” features a from-scratch buttery crust seasoned with cracked pepper and filled with gruyere, fluffy eggs, and a generous helping of crab meat.  The quiches are topped with asparagus roasted with just a touch of olive oil and salt.

Crab & Asparagus Quiche Cupcakes
Yield: 12 cupcakes

Crust Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter, cold
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cold water
¼ teaspoon cracked pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cut cold butter into ¼ inch cubes.
Add flour and butter to a small mixing bowl.  Use your hands to combine until the mixture resembles small pebbles.
Add water a tablespoon at a time.  Continue mixing with your hands until the mixture sticks together when you squeeze it, being careful to not over mix.  The batter should not become a solid ball.
Line a cupcake tin with 12 liners.

Divide batter evenly between the liners.  Press batter into the bottom of each liner and push it about halfway up the sides.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Roasted Asparagus Ingredients:
½ pound asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
Break the tough ends off of each spear and discard.
Cut the asparagus into 3/4 inch pieces.
In a small bowl, toss asparagus with olive oil and salt.
Spread asparagus on a baking sheet and broil at 450 F for 15 minutes.

Quiche Ingredients:
1/3 cup shredded gruyere
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Pinch ground dry mustard
½ cup crab meat, cooked
Pre-cooked pie crusts from above
Roasted asparagus from above

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a small bowl, mix the gruyere and flour.  Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, whip eggs with heavy whipping cream and mustard until fully integrated.
Sprinkle gruyere evenly over pre-baked pie crusts.
Spoon crab meat on top of the gruyere, evenly distributing it between the cupcakes.

Pour egg mixture over crab meat, filling the cupcake liners about ¾ full.

Arrange asparagus pieces on top of the egg mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from cupcake tins and set on paper towels to dry any moisture off of the bottoms of the liners. Serve warm.

From Paula Deen