This luscious seafood is affordable, fast and a sure-to-please winner on any dinner party menu. Try these easy crowd-pleasers...

Hot and spicy prawns

Serves 4

You will need:

• 600g shell-on cooked prawns
• Large knob of butter
• 2tbsp coriander, chopped

For the spicy paste:

• 30g smoked paprika
• 30g ground cumin
• 30g ground coriander
• 10g cayenne pepper
• Ground black pepper
• Sea salt
• 120ml olive oil
• 40g brown sugar

1. First, make the spicy paste. Place all the paste ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix together. This will keep for a couple of weeks in an airtight tub.
2. Place about a tablespoon of the spicy paste in a large frying pan and place over a medium heat until warmed through. Add the prawns and shake the pan to cover the prawns in the paste. When the prawns are warmed through, add the butter and a splash of warm water to make a sauce.
3. Sprinkle over some fresh coriander and serve with finger bowls because this dish is very messy.

Recipe courtesy of Fishy Fishy Cookbook by James Ginzler, Paul Shovlin and Loz Talent (£16.99, New Holland).

Creamy seafood and saffron pasta

Serves 6 (as a starter)

You will need:

• 750g cooked North Atlantic prawns
• 1 small cooked lobster, meat removed from the shell
• 30g butter
• Large pinch cayenne pepper
• 1tsp tomato purée
• Large pinch of saffron
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 celery stick, finely sliced
• 6tbsp white wine
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 600ml water
• 200ml crème fraîche
• 300g pappardelle pasta or linguini
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Splash of lemon juice
• 3tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1. Peel the prawns and reserve both the prawn meat and shells. Dice the lobster meat and crush some of the shells.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the cayenne pepper, tomato purée and saffron and fry over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the prawn and lobster shells, onion and celery and cook, stirring continuously, for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the wine, thyme and water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain and return to the saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes until the stock has reduced to about 200ml. Stir in the crème fraîche, bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes until rich and creamy.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet, until al dente. Drain and toss with the shellfish sauce, season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice and stir in the peeled prawns, lobster meat and parsley. Heat carefully until the seafoodis piping hot and serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of The Billingsgate Market Cookbook by CJ Jackson (£20, New Holland).

Warm prawn salad with flageolet beans, onion, parsley and olive oil 

Serves 4

You will need:

• 700-750g shell-on prawns, defrosted
• 2tbsp tomato passata
• 1tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 small clove of garlic, crushed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 75-100ml extra virgin olive oil
• 600-700g cooked flageolet beans,drained weight, well rinsed
• 2 small tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
• 3tbsp chopped parsley
• A little extra olive oil

1. Peel the prawns and remove their heads. Put the tailmeat into a bowl and set aside.
2. Using a small food processor or liquidiser, whizz together the passata, vinegar, garlic and seasoning. Then, with the motor running slowly, start to incorporate the olive oil until creamy and homogenised; if it looks too thick, add a splash of warm water.
3. Tip into a shallow pan, check for seasoning and piquancy, add the beans and tomatoes. Carefully stir together and warm through over a low heat.
4. Decant into a shallow serving dish, arrange the prawns and red onion on top, then liberally scatter with the parsley. Trickle over some extra oil and mingle all the components together. Serve as it is, with slices of grilled bread.

Recipe courtesy of The Good Cook by Simon Hopkinson (£25, BBC Books).