Surf and Turf: Seafood and Meat Recipes

Louisiana food is naturally surf and turf. We often stuff our vegetables with seafood and sausage or ground meat. We top a steak with crab meat or crawfish. No one has to cajole us into the special flavors that form when you join things from the water with things from the land.

Since we start to have delicious seafood in the spring, it is time now to plan for special meals as well as everyday blends of surf and turf. When you are planning a special meal, a perfectly cooked steak with oysters is wonderful treat. But don’t limit yourself to beef when marrying seafood and meat. Look around for the seafood that is in season at the time you are cooking and marry it with the meat that you think will be most complementary.

I ate a wonderful banh mi at a Vietnamese bakery in New Orleans that was made of pâté and fried oysters. I knew that I was in Louisiana, because where else could such a happy mash-up happen. It was delicious, but my favorite po’boy is made with soft-shell crabs. So to satisfy my own curiosity about the flavor, I developed this recipe. I am excited to share it with you.

Crab Meat and Pâté Banh Mi

6 banh mi rolls
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
6 tablespoons softened butter
3 boiled garlic cloves, mashed
Zest of 1 lime
12 ounces of your favorite pate or foie gras, divided into six 2-ounce portions
6 soft-shell crabs, cleaned
2 cups of your favorite fish fry
½ cup olive oil
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1. Cut the banh mi rolls in half lengthwise. Set aside.

2. Mix the mayonnaise, butter, garlic and lime zest in a bowl until well incorporated. Use the mixture to coat both inside surfaces of the banh mi rolls. Then use about 2 ounces of the pâté for each banh mi, spreading it on the bottom side of each roll. Set aside.

3. Dredge each crab in the fish fry. Pour the oil in a skillet. Fry the crab in the hot oil for 10 minutes, 5 minutes on each side. Place one crab on each banh mi roll. Top with some of the quick pickle and a generous sprinkling of cilantro leaves. Makes 6 banh mi

Quick pickles

Place 2 cups julienned carrots, 1 cup julienned daikon, 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber, 1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ cup apple cider vinegar into a bowl and stir well. All through the process of preparing the banh mi, stir again about every 5 minutes.

When you are blending surf and turf, you have to decide which is the dominant flavor and which is the supporting flavor. I often use the turf as an accent when seafood is at its freshest. Then I let the surf take the lead. That means that I might add minced or ground ham to a stuffed shrimp or add chopped tasso to a crab cake.

Have you tried applying surf and turf techniques to sandwiches? A banh mi, a po’boy, or even a hamburger could be enhanced by melding surf and turf. And even a taco — made with meat and seafood — will pop in your mouth. After all, this is Louisiana. We have always been influenced by the food of the people who live here. We shouldn’t shy away from the goodness of the flavors that Louisiana offers.

And speaking of interesting flavors, we already have some wonderful ways to eat surf and turf at restaurants and festivals. The Louisiana pizza or a hand pie, crawfish bread with chopped andouille or even a savory bread pudding enhanced with your leftover surf and turf. If what you are looking for isn’t in season, go ahead and use frozen seafood. It isn’t ideal, but if you defrost and drain the seafood before you use it, you can substitute it for fresh seafood. Applying your own imagination and your own taste to this blending will make your dinner table shine.

You can make your own tortillas for these tacos, but if not, buy the best and freshest that you can find.

Shrimp and Chorizo Tacos

1 | Heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil in a skillet. When it shimmers, add 1 pound chorizo, chopped into bite-sized pieces. Toss in the pan and cook and let the fat render. Cook for 5 minutes.

2 | Add 1 pound peeled shrimp. Stir for another 3 minutes or until the shrimp are pink. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon ground chili powder and toss again.

3 | Add chorizo, shrimp and toppings. Fold the tortilla and eat. Don’t overstuff it. It is better to simply eat a second one. Makes 6 tacos

Toppings

Assemble the tacos by taking a tortilla and creating a base of cabbage and add avocados, tomatoes, mango, scallions and radishes. Top with crema. Squeeze a bit of lime juice.

Steak Salad with Crab

½ pound lump crab meat
1 cup baby arugula
1 cup baby spinach
½ cup fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
6 ounce cooked boneless steak, thinly sliced
4 ounces Gorgonzola, chopped

1. Go through the crab meat and remove any pieces of shell. Add 3 tablespoons of the dressing and toss the crabmeat and set aside.

2. Place the arugula, spinach, parsley leaves and sliced fennel in a salad bowl. Add half of the remaining dressing. Toss the salad and set to the side.

3. In a separate bowl, use the rest of the dressing and toss the steak. Add the steak to the salad greens and toss again. Right before serving add the Gorgonzola and toss again. Top with the crab meat and serve. Serves 3 or 4

The Dressing

Combine ½ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice,  ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a jar, cover and shake well. Set aside for the flavors to meld.

Crawfish-Stuffed Pork Chop

1 | With a sharp knife cut a slit in the edge of six 1-inch thick boneless pork chops. Keep cutting until the cut is ¾ of the way across the pork chop and it forms a pocket. Set aside in the refrigerator.

2  | Mix 1½ cup masa, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper and 1 tablespoon salt-free Louisiana seasoning in a wide bowl. Set aside on the counter.

3 | In a skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter and when the foaming subsides, add 3 scallions, finely chopped and 1 clove garlic, minced. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove the scallions and place them in a bowl. Add 1 pound peeled crawfish tails, 1½ cup cornbread breadcrumbs and lemon zest. Mix the stuffing so that it is a uniform mixture.

4 | Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator and stuff the breadcrumb mixture into the pockets of each pork chop. Use a toothpick to keep the pocket closed. Coat the pork chop with the masa mixture. Knock off any excess masa.

5 | Add ½ cup olive oil to the same skillet and allow it to warm. Cook the pork chops in the skillet until they are browned on one side. Flip the pork chop over and continue browning. Each side will take approximately 6 minutes to cook. Remove the pork chops to a platter, remove the toothpicks, garnish with parsley and serve. Serves 6

This is a great way to use leftovers. It uses up ham that might be left over from a big family or company meal and extra shrimp. It is akin to a lobster roll, using Southern ingredients. It’s great picnic food, so serve it with potato salad and sliced tomato salad.

Ham Roll-Up with Shrimp

1 | Place 1 pound shrimp, peeled, boiled and chopped finely, 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ finely chopped fresh cabbage and orange zest in a bowl and mix.

2 | Set 6 thin slices of Virginia ham out on a platter. Divide the shrimp mixture and spread on each ham slice.

3 | Roll up the ham slice jelly roll-style. Place each in a toasted and buttered hot dog bun. Serves 6

Oyster Stew with Steak

1 quart fresh oysters with liquor
1 quart milk
1 quart half and half
2 cups unsalted beef stock
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons absinthe or Herbsaint
6 ounces cooked boneless steak, sliced very thinly and cut into bite-sized pieces
Lemon for zesting

1. Place the oysters, their liquor, the milk, half and half and bay leaf in a soup pot. Stir and bring to a simmer. Depending on how much oyster liquor you have added, add the beef stock to bring soup to the right consistency.

2. Add the bay leaf and the absinthe. When the soup is warm enough to make the edges of the oysters curl, it is ready to serve; ladle it into bowls. Add 2 to 4 pieces of steak to the bowl. Grate lemon zest over each bowl. Serve.  Serves 6 to 8

Sticky Shrimp & Pork Stir Fry

1 pound boneless pork
1 teaspoon soy sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 pound peeled shrimp
3 tablespoons white sesame seeds
3 tablespoons dry roasted peanuts, chopped

1. Cut the pork into pieces about 1 inch by 2 inches. Sprinkle the pork with soy sauce and toss.

2. Add the oil to a wok or a deep skillet. Add the pork and brown for at least 6 minutes. Add the sauce to the wok. Continue to cook stirring regularly to keep it from burning. When the pork pieces are fully cooked and the glaze is sticking to the pork, add the shrimp and stir for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is just pink.

3. Serve over steamed rice with steamed vegetables like baby bok choy and carrots. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and peanuts.

Sauce

Mix ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 1 teaspoon oil, 2 tablespoons white wine and 1 teaspoon five spice powder together and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.

This is a recipe for 1 steak, because you shouldn’t deprive yourself, even if you are alone. But you can simply increase the recipe for any number of people.You can use any cut of boneless steak, but I believe that strip steak holds its own against the sauce.

Steak and Oysters

1 | Place a 6-ounce strip steak on a wire cooling rack. Salt both sides and place in the refrigerator to drain and dry, about 45 minutes.

2 | Chop 2 tablespoons pickled green peppercorns (drained). Use half of the peppercorns to cover one side of the steak. Reserve the rest for the sauce.

3 | Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet. When sizzling, place the steak, first pepper side down, into the pan. Cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 sprigs fresh thyme to the butter in the pan. Then using a pair of tongs, flip the meat over being careful not to dislodge the pepper. Cook on the unpeppered side until done. While cooking, baste the steak with melted butter. Rest the steak, pepper side up, while you make the sauce.

4 | Add remaining peppercorns, ½ minced shallot and 1 clove minced garlic to the pan. Stir. When the shallots are wilted, add brandy. Cook off the alcohol, about 4 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and ¼ cup heavy cream. Stir and reduce sauce, about 5 minutes.

5 | Add 5-6 raw oysters and cook long enough to warm them. Immediately add the steak, pepper side up. Reheat for 1 minute, basting with the sauce.

6 | To serve, place the steak pepper side up and place the oysters on top of the steak. Don’t worry if some oysters fall to the plate. Top with sauce. Add lemon zest over the oysters and serve immediately.

Peppercorns

If you cannot find pickled peppercorns locally, they are available online. But you can substitute Szechuan pink peppercorns or mixed peppercorns, which might be easier to find on the spice aisle.