Kentish Express Ashford & District - What's On
SPOTLIGHT ON SEAFOOD & REFRESHING SPRING WINES
From no-frills fish and food memories to authentic Italian goodies and springtime wines, Angela Cole has the latest foodie news
The story of Prawn On The Lawn is one of constant ingenuity. It started out as a tiny North London fishmonger and seafood bar; just eight seats, a fish counter and no fryer. “The idea was, you could have a glass of fizz and a few oysters while you bought your fish and it was being prepped,” explains Katie Toogood, who runs POTL with her husband, self-taught chef Rick.
The tricky bit was, they didn’t have a licence for hot food. “It forced us into doing something a bit more out there,” says Rick. “Having all the fish on display, we just wanted to cook it. As a chef it became quite frustrating.”
Five years on, the pair have swapped their strippedback fishmongers for two restaurants - one in London and one in Padstow, Cornwall - and now have their own selftitled cookbook, packed with fish and seafood to share. They might have fryers at both locations now, but don’t expect to find them dishing out portions of salt and vinegar-covered cod. “We don’t do fish and chips,” says Katie, “but we could do you some crushed new potatoes and tempura battered white fish.”
Instead, they’re all about small, inventive sharing plates. “We loved the idea of sharing, it’s how we both grew up,” says Rick.
They also wanted to smash the idea that seafood restaurants should be formal - it’s fiddly enough cracking crab claws without worrying about how smart your shirt is. “When you go to Europe, seafood is so informal,” says Katie.
“It’s just stuff off a boat, and real basic cooking.” When the pair met online (not on Plenty Of Fish), she didn’t really eat meat and was “way more scared of fish”. Rick sorted that out.
Their recipes blend food with memory, incorporating dishes from trips, holidays and family events. While they’re all about keeping things simple, they’ve noticed that people are becoming more adventurous with their seafood.
Their cookbook includes such delights as crabstuffed courgette flowers, incorporating courgette flowers, with the baby courgettes still attached. Chef Rick adds: “It takes just one bite and you’ll not want to share.” Prawn On The Lawn: Fish And Seafood To Share by Rick and Katie Toogood is published by Pavilion, priced £18.99. Available now.