>>>What is Samphire? Never heard of it
I can only assume that you don't live in a coastal county!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/samphire
>>>I wondered what it would taste like in a pie or as a replacement to mince in a mince-ish dish
Add some fresh-ground black pepper, top it with some cheesey mash and stick it in the oven for an interesting variation on cottage pie.
I've also come across haggis (in a London pub) served in a red wine sauce. It was nice but I'd still prefer good ol' neeps and tatties!
Chris