In King Lear, Shakespeare warned that the dangers of gathering samphire made it a dreadful trade, but it has never been easier to gather this fragrant, green sea vegetable. We collected ours from the cliffs in Brighton as it grows at the bottom of the cliff as well as the top, so no need to hang over the edge to gather.
Serving suggestions: Use this recipe as a side to a seafood dish for the full coastal taste it provides. We served it with fresh haddock and crème fraîche.
Serves – variable
Foraged Ingredients
- A handful per person of rock samphire, freshly picked from the cliffs and rinsed in cold, clean water.
Other Ingredients
- One clove of garlic per person
- A splash of olive or sunflower oil
- Ground black pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon to taste
Method
- Crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a sharp knife. Peel and slice finely.
- Add the oil to a frying pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic.
- When the garlic begins to sizzle, add the rock samphire to the pan and sauté on a low heat until tender (about 3-5 minutes).
- Drain the pasta and add to the sauce in the frying pan; continue to stir over a low heat for a minute to combine the flavours.
- Add black pepper and a squeeze of lemon to taste. Enjoy!
Expert’s Tip
The samphire is quite salty due to growing next to the sea, so avoid using any extra salt.