There aren’t many things more comforting than some pub grub, but forget the outdated images you might have – the pub meals of today are generally very sophisticated, modern and fully abreast of all the major food trends.

Try this take on a tried and tested traditional favourite, the good old-fashioned scampi and chips.

This recipe should serve four people, or three if you’re especially generous:

Ingredients

• 700g potatoes, peeled and cut into fat chip shapes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 20 langoustine tales, peeled, washed and veins removed
• 30g plain flour
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 egg
• 75g fresh breadcrumbs
• Sunflower oil for frying
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

• Preheat the oven to 220 degrees centigrade
• Put the chipped potatoes into a saucepan of salted cold water.
• Bring to boil and simmer for five minutes.
• In the meantime, heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in a roasting tray in the oven.
• Drain the potatoes, then add them to the roasting tray and coat them in the hot oil.
• Add the seasoning and then then roast in the oven, turning regularly. They should be in there for about 40 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
• While the chips are cooking, prepare the scampi by mixing the flour with salt, black pepper and Cayenne pepper in one bowl.
• Beat the egg in a second bowl and add the breadcrumbs to a third bowl to make a production line.
• Dust each langoustine tail in the seasoned flour, dip into the egg then cover in the breadcrumbs.
• Heat the frying oil to 180C in a large pan a piece of bread dropped into the oil should fizzle and turn golden brown within two minutes.
• Carefully add each scampi and cook for 2-3 minutes you’ll need to do this in batches.
• Drain on kitchen roll before serving with the chips plus some lemon wedges and homemade tartar sauce.