samphire

[holly]

http://www.atomicshrimp.com/st/content/marsh_samphire

just bought some of this from asda and its well tasty ,anyone go out collecting this ? does anyone know of a location on either the yorkshire coast or lancashire coast? its know as the poor mans asparagus (not if you buy it from asda though)

[shakin stevens]

only place ive picked it is off the wash,might have a look in asda it does taste good with a fish dish!

[Albion]

Poke a bit in some soil if you like it. It's easy to grow!

[Beardo]

i adore the stuff - Shakespeare even mentions it (the cliff in question is Shakespear Cliff at Dover) in King Lear...

Come on, sir; here’s the place: stand still.

How fearful

And dizzy ’tis to cast one’s eyes so low!

The crows and choughs that wing the midway air 20

Show scarce so gross as beetles; half way down

Hangs one that gathers samphire, dreadful trade!

Methinks he seems no bigger than his head.

The fishermen that walk upon the beach 24

Appear like mice, and yond tall anchoring bark

Diminish’d to her cock, her cock a buoy

Almost too small for sight. The murmuring surge,

That on the unnumber’d idle pebbles chafes, 28

Cannot be heard so high. I’ll look no more,

Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight

Topple down headlong.

[Beardo]

this is a favourite of mine...

 

Shrimp and Samphire Risotto

Recipe by Rick Stein

 

Serves 4

 

750g/1½lb unpeeled cooked pink shrimps or North Atlantic prawns

100g/4oz samphire, picked over and washed

75g/3oz unsalted butter

½ onion, chopped

1.2l/2 pint fish stock

1 piece of blade mace

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

350g/12oz risotto rice

120ml/4fl oz dry white wine

25g/1oz parmesan cheese, freshly grated

salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

 

Peel the shrimps and set them aside, reserving the shells. Break off and discard the woody ends of the samphire and break the rest into 2.5cm/1in pieces.

Melt 25g/1oz of the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Add the shrimp shells and fry for 3-4 minutes, then add the stock and mace and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Pass the stock through a conical sieve into a clean pan, pressing out as much liquid as you can with the back of a ladle. Bring back to a simmer and keep hot over a low heat.

Melt the rest of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and garlic and cook gently for a couple of minutes. Add the rice and turn it over until all the grains are coated in the butter. Pour in the wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until it has been absorbed. Then add a ladleful of the hot stock and stir until it has all been taken up before adding another. Continue like this for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly, until all the stock has been used and the rice is tender but still a little al dente.

Shortly before the risotto is ready, drop the samphire into a pan of boiling water and cook for 1 minute, then drain well. Stir the shrimps, parmesan cheese and some seasoning into the risotto. Heat for 1 minute, then stir in all but a handful of the samphire. Divide the risotto between 4 warmed bowls and serve, garnished with the rest of the samphire

[holly]

Poke a bit in some soil if you like it. It's easy to grow!

hhmmm growing inland i would think it would loose its salty taste

[alexf]

this is a favourite of mine...

 

Shrimp and Samphire Risotto

Recipe by Rick Stein

 

Serves 4

 

750g/1½lb unpeeled cooked pink shrimps or North Atlantic prawns

100g/4oz samphire, picked over and washed

75g/3oz unsalted butter

½ onion, chopped

1.2l/2 pint fish stock

1 piece of blade mace

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

350g/12oz risotto rice

120ml/4fl oz dry white wine

25g/1oz parmesan cheese, freshly grated

salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

 

Peel the shrimps and set them aside, reserving the shells. Break off and discard the woody ends of the samphire and break the rest into 2.5cm/1in pieces.

Melt 25g/1oz of the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Add the shrimp shells and fry for 3-4 minutes, then add the stock and mace and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Pass the stock through a conical sieve into a clean pan, pressing out as much liquid as you can with the back of a ladle. Bring back to a simmer and keep hot over a low heat.

Melt the rest of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and garlic and cook gently for a couple of minutes. Add the rice and turn it over until all the grains are coated in the butter. Pour in the wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until it has been absorbed. Then add a ladleful of the hot stock and stir until it has all been taken up before adding another. Continue like this for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly, until all the stock has been used and the rice is tender but still a little al dente.

Shortly before the risotto is ready, drop the samphire into a pan of boiling water and cook for 1 minute, then drain well. Stir the shrimps, parmesan cheese and some seasoning into the risotto. Heat for 1 minute, then stir in all but a handful of the samphire. Divide the risotto between 4 warmed bowls and serve, garnished with the rest of the samphire

 

 

That sounds immense think I will give it a go tomorrow.

[CZ550Kevlar]

Between Folkstone & Dover there is Samphire Hoe and there is tons of the stuff growing wild, when we work there at night in the Tunnels the security guards don`t mind us trimming a few plants.

 

EDIT- I should mention that the stuff above is marsh Samphire, the stuff we get is Rock Samphire but still just as nice.

Edited April 3, 2011 by CZ550Kevlar