Today, I have a couple of things I’d like to share with you. First of all, it’s my husband Brion’s birthday. With summer in full swing, our back yard is bursting with all its glorious flowers and foliage and even though he would rather I didn’t add his picture to my blog today, I wanted to share this garden view with you. I think it’s a great backdrop for a birthday picture, right!
Going ‘out’ to a restaurant for a special occasion has never been something that really appealed to us, especially me since my life’s work was in the food service industry. I find it is so nice to just have a specially prepared meal at home on these occasions. This year I decided to surprise Brion with an old favorite – surf & turf!
Sometimes affectionately known as ‘reef and beef,’ surf and turf is a main course that brings together the best of both worlds: seafood and red meat. While the classic combo features lobster and filet mignon, modern variations found on steakhouse menus might include prawns, shrimp, squid, or scallops.
Back in late 19th-century America, there existed glamorous establishments known as ‘lobster palaces.’ These were the go-to spots for the nouveau riche—those newly wealthy individuals eager to flaunt their prosperity. At these lobster palaces, patrons reveled in large portions of both lobster and steak, creating a decadent dining experience. However, like all trends, this one eventually waned, and by the 1920s, the lobster-steak combo had fallen out of favor. Fast-forward to the early 1960s, and surf ‘n’ turf made a triumphant comeback. Suddenly, the middle-class ‘continental cuisine’ of the ’60s and ’70s embraced this luxurious pairing, with frozen lobster and steak taking center stage.
As we grow older, it becomes clearer every day what a special privilege it is to simply have each other to share life with. The little everyday things seem to take on a much greater importance. Maybe it’s the state of our world at this time that has made it very clear not to take anything for granted. Throughout our married life Brion has always gone above and beyond to look after us. I am grateful to have the privilege of such a loving and caring husband.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY LOVE … YOU’RE THE BEST!
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- 2 - 170 gm filet mignon steaks
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 Tbsp Montreal Steak Spice or to taste
- 2 medium lobster tails, shell removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 300 gm large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail off
- 2 Tbsp butter,
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 6 Tbsp (85 gm) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup clam juice
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp EACH salt & pepper
- 1 tsp EACH garlic & onion powder
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Ingredients
Steak
Lobster & Shrimp
Cream Sauce
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- In a zip-lock plastic bag, place oil, steaks & Montreal steak spice. Close bag & shake to combine contents well. Set aside to marinate while preparing the sauce.
- In a skillet, heat butter & olive oil over medium heat. Sear prepared shrimp for 2 minutes on one side, then flip & sear for 1 minute more. Remove & set aside. Add 1 more Tbsp butter to the skillet, then add prepared lobster tails. Sauté lobster until it turns pink in color. This shouldn't take any longer than 3 minutes. Remove & set aside.
- Add 6 Tbsp of butter to skillet. When butter starts to melt, add white wine & clam juice. Stir in salt, pepper, garlic & onion powder & smoked paprika. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent boiling over. Sauce will reduce & thicken. Taste & add more salt if you feel it needs it.
- Stir in shrimp & lobster & let simmer for an additional 1-2 minutes. Keep hot while you cook the steaks.
- Turn on the broiler. Heat a cast iron pan to a very hot temperature. Once the pan is hot add marinated steaks & sear for approximately 3-5 minutes on each side depending on the thickness of steaks.
- Once steaks have seared, place under the broiler for approximately 4-5 minutes per side or to your desired level of doneness. Transfer steaks to serving plates & generously spoon the shrimp/lobster cream sauce over each filet mignon steak, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Garnish with a sprig of fresh herbs & serve immediately. We enjoyed our steaks with mashed potatoes & roasted asparagus.
