Tiger prawn and samphire linguine

Serves 4

Ingredients500g of linguine pastaRaw tiger prawns (peeled and de-veined)75ml of olive oil2 punetts of cherry tomatoes200-250g samphire (available this time of year from a good fishmonger)Salt and pepper

IT was in 2006 that Maggie and Amanda Barton took over the fish stall in Benfleet and turned it into the highly successful Fish Market Restaurant and Seafood Bar. This mother and daughter team have plenty of experience in the seafood business and when they worked at Billingsgate Fish Market together, this stall was originally one of their customers. Amanda explains: ‘It took us 18 months from purchase until we opened. We had to have some extensive work carried out to create the 40-seater restaurant.’ The restaurant opened its doors in May 2007 and they still sell fresh seafood too, directly to the public. Over the last few months the bar area has been overhauled allowing guests to call in for a bowl of mussels and a drink.‘It’s a much less formal area if customers just want to pop in and eat, however we still have the restaurant if you want to make an occasion of it,’ Amanda continues. They’ve also begun to host regular wine tasting evenings and menu taster evenings too. The next menu taster night is planned for Wednesday, April 21, with an eight-course menu for �39.95 per head giving you the chance to sample new dishes planned and to give head chef Paul Little your opinions. These evenings are proving extremely popular and so advance booking is a must. Maggie and Amanda now employ 15 staff and offer not only a wide selection of fresh seafood, but also rib eye steaks and rack of lamb as well as a taste of the East End with pie, mash and liquor or traditional roast dinners served each Sunday. Here head chef, Paul Little, shares his recipe for a simple and quick supper for four.

Method

Bring a large pan of lightly-salted water to the boil. Add the linguine and cook for 10-12 minutes. While the linguini is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the tiger prawns. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan, squeezing each one to split the flesh. Once these have cooked for a further couple of minutes, add your washed and drained samphire and allow to sweat for a minute or two. Drain and refresh the cooked pasta with boiling water from the kettle to remove any excess starch and then add to the tiger prawns. Toss all the ingredients together ensuring the pasta is coated with all the tomato juices. Season well and serve immediately.

Get the taste

The Fishmarket Restaurant and Seafood Bar42 High StreetBenfleet SS7 1NA01268 794869