Surf And Turf • Two Purple Figs

This Surf And Turf Recipe will really make you think twice about going out and paying a fortune for it. Our favorite combo is the fillet mignon combined with lobster tail. But we have made so many different combos, and will share them with you below so read along! 

Surf and Turf is one of Valentine’s Day’s most popular dishes, and for a good reason! It involves a premium cut of steak combine with a succulent type of seafood, usually drenched in butter. Pair it with our popular Molten Lava Cake as most restaurants do.

Is there anything left to say?! SO GOOD! And for that, it’s usually one of the priciest items on any menu! Well today we’re breaking down all you need to know about what is it, and making Surf and Turf at home so smoothly! 

Why is it Called Surf And Turf

The word surf and turf represents a delicious combo of “surf”, which is seafood, and “turf”, which is beef. So combine those two and you’ve got a succulent, hearty, and special meal.

When it comes to the combo, there are so many variations on each. So for the “surf” today we’ve used lobster. We have a variety of Lobster recipes here and as you can tell, we’re obsessed! You can also use shrimp or scallops, these are the two alternatives I would substitute.

Now for the beef or the turf, we have picked the one and only, the fillet mignon aka the beef tenderloin. This is the priciest cut of steak and it’s because of it’s prime location with no muscle. So it’s ultra tender and soft. We would easily substitute it with the Ribeye Steak or even NY Strip Steak.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make it for Two

This dish is classically made for two people, but you can double or triple the amounts if you’re up for a crowd.

Meats

• Fillet Mignon. Also known as beef tenderloin, a premium cut for tender juicy and melt in your mouth steak.
• Lobster Tail. With plenty of meat and easy to cook, the lobster tail is our choice for surf here.

Herb Butter

• Butter. Room temperature unsalted butter is best.
• Herbs. We used a variety of thyme, parsley and oregano.
• Garlic. Fresh and minced is best. 
• Lemon Zest. The zest offers a bright zesty lemony taste without the watery juice in the butter.
• Seasoning. Salt and pepper are a must and additionally you can add chilli flakes.
• Sweetness. We used a fig to balance the spice and zest of the butter, you can add a touch of honey instead.

How to Make Surf And Turf

1.Make the Herb Butter

• Add all the ingredients for the herb butter in a mortar and pestle and mash until smooth. 
  
• It’s ready and soft at this point you can use it right away or keep it at room temperature as you prepare the recipe. Alternatively, you can store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. 

Make the Lobster

1. To prepare the lobster tails with the skin over the shell as you see above, follow this article How To Cook Lobster Tail. It’s as detailed as can be with video and step by step images. 
2. The lobster needs to be prepared by breaking the shells and exposing the meat. Then a hefty amount of the herb butter will be slathered over the meat.
3. At that point you’ll broil the lobster for just a few minutes and it’s ready! More butter is served on top and that’s it.
4. Our other favorite way of preparing lobster would be Butter Poached Lobster. A divine and succulent recipe of lobster tails, but without the shells. So if you choose to serve it without shells, absolutely go for the butter one!

Make the Fillet Mignon

1. Season liberally and generously both sides of the tenderloin steak with salt and pepper. 
   
2. Add the steaks to a heavy duty cast iron skillet with butter and oil. We use oil to avoid the burning of the butter and yet keep the flavor of butter in the steak.
   
3. Flip the steak when golden and has a beautiful crust. 
   
4. At that point add with the steak some whole garlic cloves, baby tomatoes on the vine, herbs, fresh slices of figs or lemon. these add a final touch of flavor to the juices in the skillet and infuse the tenderloin. 
5. At that point the meat is ready depending on how well you want it to be. 
   

Steak Doneness Chart

The best way to tell how well your steak is, is to use a meat thermometer. Unless you’re super experienced with the touch and feel of the meat, a thermometer is your best bet. 

• 120 degrees F for rare.
• 125-130 degrees F for medium rare.
• 135 -140 degrees F medium.
• 140 – 145 degrees F for medium well.
• 150 degrees F and above for well done.

How to Serve Surf And Turf

Make sure to serve the steak and the lobster on top with plenty of the herb butter we made above. We added some of the wilted tomatoes on the vine, lemon slices and parmesan. Our absolute favorite side dishes include:

Tips For The Best Surf And Turf

1. Choose the steaks to be the same size so they cooke evenly. 
2. Ask your fish monger to prepare the lobster for you if you feel you need extra help and time.
3. Make the herb butter up to 2 days in advance. 
4. Feel free to adjust the herb butter to your taste, adding more or less herbs and spices.
5. It’s best to cook surf and turf the day of, so avoid cooking any of the meats ahead of time. 
6. If you buy cooked and steamed lobster, you can slather it with the herb butter and broil it for just 2 minutes. This adds so much flavor. And this is a great shortcut. 
7. When cooking the steak, since it’s an expensive cut, use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking it. 
8. We use a combo of butter and oil in searing the meat to maximize the flavor of butter while avoiding the butter burn.
9. Ideally we use avocado oil as it has a high smoking point for all our searing.
10. For more variations on swapping the types of surf and turf, see below.

Surf And Turf Variations / Substitutions

While we have loved this combo, there are many other delicious combos of surf and turf. They can be best to suit your taste, or far more affordable. 

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers?

Any leftovers can be stored separately in the fridge. So the steak separate from the seafood, separate from any side dish. Store the leftovers for 2-3 days at most.

To reheat, we recommend wrapping the meat or seafood in foil. Reheat at 350 degrees in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes. While you can also microwave it, we don’t usually prefer. 

Can I make Surf and Turf on the Grill?

YES! You can grill the tenderloin steaks as per the Ribeye Steak instructions, follow the step by step and video. And for the lobster, we prefer cutting through the tail in half lengthwise. Then you can follow the How To Cook Crab Legs and cook on the grill.

What is the best dessert to serve with surf and turf?

The absolute best dessert has to be this Molten Lava Cake. Hands down, you have to try it! With a secret tip that never fails, for a gooey center without ever underbaking your cake!

Valentine’s Day Recipes

Butter Poached Lobster
Lamb Loin Chops
Molten Lava Cake
Mini Pavlova
Lasagna Roll Ups For Two
Mini Cheesecakes
Lamb Chops Date Night Platter