Surf and turf with Steak and lobster
Homemade Surf and turf with juicy steak, sweet lobster tails, and creamy garlic parsley sauce. A cosy yet restaurant-quality dinner
Ingredients
For the creamy garlic sauce
- 20g / 0.7oz unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup (60ml / 2floz) dry white wine (NOTE 1)
- ½ cup (125ml / 4floz) chicken stock
- 1 cup (250ml / 8.5floz) thickened cream (NOTE 2)
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (NOTE 3)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
For the lobster
- 4 small raw lobster tails (approx. 200gm / 7oz each) (NOTE 4)
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- salt and pepper to taste
For the steak
- 2 good quality steaks (approx. 400-500g / 14-17oz) (NOTE 5)
- vegetable oil
- salt
Instructions
For the creamy garlic sauce
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir quickly until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. Pour in the wine and cook until the alcohol smell has cooked off, then add the stock. Once the mixture comes to a gentle bubble, reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream.
- Cook the sauce gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese has completely melted, and the sauce is smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir through the parsley. Carefully pour the sauce into a jug or bowl and set aside. The creamy garlic sauce will look quite thin at this stage but will thicken slightly as it cools.
For the lobster
- Preheat the grill / broil to high. Using sharp kitchen scissors, cut through the lobster shell lengthwise down to the tail. With a sharp knife, score the lobster flesh lengthwise to a depth of about 1 cm. Remove any dark vein or grit, then gently run your finger between the flesh and shell to loosen it. Lift the flesh and rest it on top of the shell.
- Brush the lobster tails with melted butter and season lightly. Grill / broil on medium-high for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the flesh turns opaque and is just cooked through. While the lobster tails are grilling, prepare the steak.
For the steak
- Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and allow them to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Pat them dry once more, then season the steaks generously with salt on all sides.
- Heat a heavy-based frying pan over very high heat and add a thin layer of oil. Once the oil is smoking hot, carefully place the steaks into the pan. Turn the steaks every 15 seconds, repeating this process until they are cooked to your liking. For medium-rare, this will take approximately 2 to 3 minutes, depending on thickness.
- For best results, use a meat thermometer to check the doneness of the steak. Transfer the steaks to a wire rack and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
(NOTE 1) Dry white wine is lower in sugar compared to sweeter varieties. Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Grigio are all good choices for this recipe.
(NOTE 2) Thickened cream (heavy or whipping cream): Thickened cream in Australia contains added gelatine and around 35 percent milk fat, which helps create a rich and stable sauce. For the best flavour and texture, I do not recommend using low-fat cream.
(NOTE 3) Parmesan Cheese: For a smooth sauce, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese, as it melts beautifully into the sauce. Pre-shredded cheese may be convenient, but it contains anti-caking agents that can prevent it from melting properly and may cause a grainy texture.
(NOTE 4) Raw lobster tails: The lobster tails we used were quite small, weighing around 200 g (7 oz) each. If small lobster tails are not available, you can use a medium-sized tail and cut it in half to serve two people. If you would like to use prawns, you can replace the sauce and lobster tails with my Creamy Garlic Prawns recipe.
(NOTE 5) Steak: I used a 450 g (16 oz) grass-fed rib-eye steak for my husband, and two 250 g (9 oz) porterhouse steaks for my sister and myself. Other great cuts for surf and turf include T-bone, eye fillet, sirloin, and scotch fillet. When cooking an expensive steak, I always recommend using a meat thermometer, as steak can overcook very quickly.
Steak doneness guide (internal temperature)
- Rare 49–52°C | 120–125°F
- Medium-rare 54–57°C | 130–135°F
- Medium 60–63°C | 140–145°F
- Medium-well 65–68°C | 150–155°F
- Well-done 70°C and above | 160°F and above
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 1131kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 89gFat: 81gSaturated Fat: 43gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 30gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 449mgSodium: 1264mgPotassium: 1243mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1497IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 324mgIron: 6mg