Surf 'n' Turf, or Steak & Lobster dinner, is a romantic dish to serve to your loved one. An American steak house classic, but this recipe has a French twist with a decadent Champagne, shallot and herb butter that you will want to pour over everything! Not to mention a generous serving of perfectly sautéed haricots verts.
Surf 'n' Turf is most famously made with Lobster and Steak, but can be made with any meat and seafood combination.
There is no need to go to a fancy restaurant to enjoy Surf 'n' Turf - follow this recipe and cook it at home for a fraction of the cost and all the enjoyment.
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Ingredients
D'Artagnan has a great Surf 'n' Turf box (steaks and lobster tails pictured below) that makes it easy to find high quality steak and lobster for this recipe. Use the code LCW25 for -25% off until February 13th.
2 x 6oz Lobster Tails
2 x 8oz Tenderloin Steaks
2 sprigs of Rosemary
2 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves of garlic, peel on
4 tablespoon of butter
2 tablespoon of Champagne to deglaze the pan
For the Champagne, shallot & herb butter:
4 shallots, finely chopped
4 tablespoon olive oil
¾ cup of a champagne
pinch of salt
1 cup of fresh dill
1 cup of fresh parsley
6 tbsps of butter
Sautéed Haricots Verts
12 oz French Beans, trimmed (snap the end off)
4 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
2 tablespoon of butter.
2 tablespoon of olive oil
Secret ingredient to make restaurant quality food at home
Does it seem like there is a fair bit of butter in this recipe? There is! Restaurants use a lot of butter to make the steaks tender, to make the vegetables delectable and the lobster butter, well, deliciously buttery. If you want to know why restaurant food tastes more decadent than home cooked food, it is because Chefs are not afraid to use butter! When making a meal like surf 'n' turf at home, butter is essential, try not to skimp on it, you will be able to taste the difference.
Instructions
This recipe requires a little bit of planning to make sure that the steak and lobster are both cooked properly and that your champagne, shallot and herb butter are ready to go at the same time as your haricots verts. I got you ! Let's do this. Fancy Date night menu coming up!
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place a pot of salted water to boil for your haricots verts. Trim the ends of the haricots verts and place in boiling water for 12 minutes. Strain.
Meanwhile, begin your butter sauce. Finely chop the shallots. In a sauce pan over medium heat, drizzle olive oil, chopped shallots and a pinch of salt. Add 2 more tbsps of olive oil and allow the shallots to soak up the oil. Then add the champagne, it will create a foam in the pan. Once the champagne begins to simmer, add the butter and stir. Allow to rapidly simmer (called "to reduce") for 20 minutes. The sauce will reduce in volume.
Dry your tenderloin steaks with a paper towel - pat on both sides. This important step will allow you to get a nice sear on the meat. Drizzle olive oil over a medium heat pan. Place the steaks on the hot pan and add 2 tablespoon butter, a sprig of thyme, a sprig of rosemary and 2 whole garlic cloves. Sear for 3 minutes on each side, basting frequently ( add in the extra 2 tablespoon of butter and spoon the butter from the side of the tilted pan onto the top of the steak). Remove the steak from the pan with a pair of tongs and place on a sizzling platter (or cookie sheet) in the heated oven. Set the timer for 20 minutes.
Lobster: Using a butcher's knife pierce the center of the top of the tail and bring your knife down to one side, and then the other to split the tail in half (I like this more than the intact lobster tail - less fiddly and you get more of the yummy browned butter on the meat! Place the lobster meat side down into the steak pan you used for the steaks. (Note - if you burnt the butter when cooking the steaks, dry off your pan and start again. You don't want to put burnt butter bits onto your precious lobster tail). Allow the Lobster to soak up the butter for just one minute in the hot pan.
Remove from pan and put in the oven next to the steaks for only 8 minutes. You can place a rosemary sprig over the lobster. Careful not to over cook the lobster tail - it becomes rubbery.
Now to finish the green beans while the steaks and lobster are finishing in the oven. In a new frying pan over medium high heat, drizzle the olive oil and toss in in the sliced cloves of garlic. Allow the garlic to sizzle before adding in the strained green beans. Once the remaining water has evaporated, add in the butter. Toss frequently. Finely chop the fresh parsley and dill. Sprinkle about half onto the green beans. Mix together and turn off the heat.
Finishing the butter sauce like a French Chef:
Now, you can simply melt the 6 tbsps of butter with the reduced champagne and shallots with a sprinkle of herbs and call it a day (it will be incredibly good!), or else we can make a real sauce like a French Chef. Are you up for the challenge? Lets go!
Take the pan where you sautéed the steak and lobster in butter. Remove any dark bits or big pieces of meat that would have stuck to the pan. Turn the heat up to medium high. Add the reduced shallots and scrape the bottom of the pan with a silicone spatula. Add in a ¼ cup of champagne, allow to come back up to a simmer and then add in the 6 tbsps of butter. Keep the heat on medium high, constantly stirring with a silicone spatula. Do not let the butter burn! Remove from the heat once it has reduced.
Strain the sauce using a strainer into a mug or gravy boat. You will have the most amazing, flavorful butter. Add in the remaining fresh chopped herbs and stir. Voilà! You have upped your culinary game. Bravo! Julia Child would be so proud of you.
How to serve Surf 'n' Turf
Timing is of the essence. You will want to serve your dish as soon as it is ready so that everything stays hot.
I like to place the steak directly on the plate with a serving of of the green beans next to it. Set the Lobster tail on top of the steak and green beans - it is the star of the show after all! Spoon the herb butter over the lobster and a little around the plate as well for good measure.
Serve immediately. Bon Appétit!
Where to find Surf 'n' Turf
You can have a high quality surf 'n' turf box delivered directly to your door with D'Artagnan. Until the 14th of February, readers of this blog can have -25% any surf n turf boxes with the code LCW25. Much less expensive than going to a restaurant!
Variations
There is multitude of options with a Surf 'n' Turf Dinner!
- Filet Mignon & Crab legs
- New York Steak & Shrimp
- Rib eye Steak & Scallops (I have a great recipe here)
What to serve with a Surf 'n' Turf Dinner
Buttery mashed potatoes are absolutely decadent with the Surf 'n' Turf dinner. You can also simply serve a roasted tomato Provençal or even a Ratatouille for a South of France twist to the meal.
FAQ
This dish is best served fresh, just after cooking. You can prepare the herb butter and trim the steak earlier, but sear and serve right away for that restaurant-quality experience.
Champagne adds a delicate sparkle and acidity that elevates the dish. If you don't have any, a dry white wine works perfectly too.
Filet mignon or ribeye are ideal - tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Their richness pairs beautifully with the sweet lobster and buttery sauce.
Let me know if you try this recipe. I would love to hear how you served it!
Bon Appétit!
Le Chef's Wife
About Le Chef's Wife
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (5 and 2) and I have a full time job in hospitality in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
I share our home cooking on Instagram, pinterest and tiktok. Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to receive my new recipes and have advance access to cooking classes. I look forward to cooking with you!
Print
Surf n Turf
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
Surf 'n' Turf, or Steak & Lobster dinner, is a decadent dish to serve to your loved one. Make this steak house classic, with a French twist! The Champagne, Shallot and herb butter elevates the dish to Michelin star restaurant quality.
Ingredients
Surf n Turf
- 2 x 6oz Lobster Tails
- 2 x 8oz Tenderloin Steaks
- 2 sprigs of Rosemary
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 2 cloves of garlic, peel on
- 4 tbsp of butter
- 2 Tbsp of Champagne to deglaze the pan
For the Champagne, shallot & herb butter:
- 4 shallots, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ cup of a champagne
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup of fresh dill
- 1 cup of fresh parsley
- 6 tbsps of butter
Sautéed Haricots Verts
- 12 oz French Beans, trimmed (snap the end off)
- 4 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
- 2 tbsp of butter.
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Place a pot of salted water to boil for your haricots verts.
- Trim the ends of the haricots verts and place in boiling water for 12 minutes.
- Strain.
- Meanwhile, begin your butter sauce.
- Finely chop the shallots.
- In a sauce pan over medium heat, drizzle olive oil, chopped shallots and a pinch of salt.
- Add 2 more tbsps of olive oil and allow the shallots to soak up the oil.
- Then add the champagne.
- Once the champagne begins to simmer, add the butter and stir.
- Allow to rapidly simmer (called "to reduce") for 20 minutes. The sauce will reduce in volume.
- Dry your tenderloin steaks with a paper towel - pat on both sides.
- This important step will allow you to get a nice sear on the meat.
- Drizzle olive oil over a medium heat pan.
- Place the steaks on the hot pan and add 2 tablespoon butter, a sprig of thyme, a sprig of rosemary and 2 whole garlic cloves. Sear for 3 minutes on each side, basting frequently ( add in the extra 2 tablespoon of butter and spoon the butter from the side of the tilted pan onto the top of the steak).
- Remove the steak from the pan with a pair of tongs and place on a sizzling platter (or cookie sheet) in the heated oven. Set the timer for 20 minutes. The steaks will be medium rare. Add 3 minutes more for medium.
- Lobster: Using a butcher's knife pierce the center of the top of the tail and bring your knife down to one side, and then the other to split the tail in half (I like this more than the intact lobster tail - less fiddly and you get more of the yummy browned butter on the meat!
- Place the lobster, meat side down into the steak pan you used for the steaks. (Note - if you burnt the butter when cooking the steaks, dry off your pan and start again. You don't want to put burnt butter bits onto your precious lobster tail).
- Allow the Lobster to soak up the butter for just one minute in the hot pan. Remove from pan and put in the oven next to the steaks for only 8 minutes. Careful not to over cook the lobster tail - it becomes rubbery.
- Now to finish the green beans while the steaks and lobster are finishing in the oven. In a new frying pan over medium high heat, drizzle the olive oil and toss in in the sliced cloves of garlic.
- Allow the garlic to sizzle before adding in the strained green beans. Once the remaining water has evaporated, add in the butter. Toss frequently.
- Finely chop the fresh parsley and dill. Sprinkle about half onto the green beans. Mix together and turn off the heat.
- Now, you can simply melt the 6 tbsps of butter with the reduced champagne and shallots with a sprinkle of herbs and call it a day (it will be incredibly good!), or else we can make a real sauce like a French Chef. Are you up for the challenge? Lets go!
- Take the pan where you sautéed the steak and lobster in butter. Remove any dark bits or big pieces of meat that would have stuck to the pan.
- Turn the heat up to medium high. Add the reduced shallots and scrape the bottom of the pan with a silicone spatula.
- Add in a ¼ cup of champagne, allow to come back up to a simmer and then add in the 6 tbsps of butter. Keep the heat on medium high, constantly stirring with a silicone spatula. Do not let the butter burn! Remove from the heat once it has reduced.
- Strain the sauce using a strainer into a mug or gravy boat. You will have the most amazing, flavorful butter.
- Add in the remaining fresh chopped herbs and stir. Voilà! You have upped your culinary game. Bravo! Julia Child would be so proud of you.
How to Serve Surf 'n' Turf
Timing is of the essence. You will want to serve your dish as soon as it is ready so that everything stays hot.
I like to place the steak directly on the plate with a serving of of the green beans next to it. Set the Lobster tail on top of the steak and green beans - it is the star of the show after all! Spoon the herb butter over the lobster and a little around the plate as well for good measure.
Serve immediately. Bon Appétit!
Notes
Where to find Surf n Turf
You can have a high quality surf n turf box delivered directly to your door with D'Artagnan. Until the 14th of Feburary, readers of this blog can have -25% any surf n turf boxes with the code LCW25. Much less expensive than going to a restaurant!
Variations
There is multitude of options with a Surf 'n' Turf Dinner!
- Filet Mignon & Crab legs
- New York Steak & Shrimp
- Rib eye Steak & Scallops (I have a great recipe here)
Suzanne says
This is a masterpiece!
lechefswife says
Thank you very much! It took a long time to write but I am glad it was worth it!