This quiche combines the elegance and technique of French cooking, with the mystical comfort of Caribbean flavors and heat.  Crab and coconut are a match made in heaven, almost like Josephine and Napoleon.  We love this in the Summer paired with a side salad with mango and avocado and a glass of white wine.

For the tart shell:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, diced and kept cold

6-8 tablespoons ice cold water

For the filling:

2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter*

1 shallot, peeled and minced

½ red bell pepper, seeded and diced into ½” pieces

1 celery stalk, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme

1 cup canned crab meat

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 capfuls of Madeira (about 2 tablespoons)

3 eggs

1 cup coconut milk

Habenero hot sauce to taste (about 1 teaspoon at least)

¼ cup Gruyere cheese (optional)

Make the tart shell by combining the flour, thyme, and salt together in a food processor. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water, starting with a few tablespoons, and pulse, adding as much water as necessary, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough just begins to come together. You don’t want to over blend the dough, or else it will become too elastic.

Transfer to a hard surface and push with the heel of your hand through the dough to remove any knobs of butter. Gather together and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Roll out the dough thinly with a rolling pin to about ¼ inch, and then roll it onto the pin. Roll the dough off of the pin, and into a 9-inch tart shell.
Fit the dough into the shell nicely, making sure there is an even layer of thickness. There will be some shrinkage while the shell is baking, so make sure that there is some overhang to compensate. Line the tart shell with some parchment paper, and weigh it down with pie weights or dried beans. Alternatively, poke the dough with a fork all over.

Bake the shell for about 15 minutes, remove the weights and parchment, and return the shell to the oven for another 10 minutes. Let the shell cool once it is out of the oven, before you add in the filling.

Make the filling by heating up some coconut oil in a sauté pan. Sweat the shallots until they are slightly soft. Add the celery and red pepper and cook until soft as well. Add the herbs and crab meat and stir to combine. Season well with the salt and some pepper. Pour in the Madeira and cook until the liquid evaporates. (Be careful, as the alcohol might ignite). Remove from the heat.

Whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, and salt. Add at least 1 teaspoon of the habanero salsa.

Fold the crab mixture into the custard mixture and then transfer everything to the tart shell. Distribute the cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes at 375 F, or until the top is slightly browned.

Serve at room temperature with a side salad.