Surf and turf dishes from around the world

"Do you prefer meat or fish?" — this is a commonly asked question, be it at a restaurant before ordering or in the middle of a casual conversation regarding food. While some people have an affirmed answer to this at the ready, others have a hard time making a decision. It is safe to say that people belonging to the latter group, at some point, have faced the dilemma between choosing either meat or fish.

Their loyalty for both meat and fish does not allow them to arrive at a final conclusion. Well, do you really have to? Why choose one when you can enjoy the goodness of both in the same plate? This is exactly why surf and turf recipes exist!

Surf and turf recipes are essentially those dishes that contain components from both the sea, defining the surf part, and the land, defining the turf element. The combination of meat and fish included in the same dish enables us to not miss out on any one of them, this being the reason why surf and turf dishes are so popular and loved all over the world.

Thus, here are two protein-packed surf and turf recipes from around the world that will surely tantalise your tastebuds and allow you to savour the best of land and sea in one plate.

SPANISH CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD PAELLA

Paella is a delectable rice dish. It seems like the perfect dish to throw in meat and seafood all at once, as the saffron rice complements both the elements so perfectly. It is also a good way to feed and attract a crowd, as the irresistible aroma will surely draw attention.     

Ingredients

For the chicken —

500g boneless chicken thighs

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

For the seafood —

250g shrimp (peeled and deveined)

250g squid rings

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp lemon pepper

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

For the rice —

2 cups paella/ Arborio rice

3½ cups chicken stock

1 tbsp olive oil

Pinch of saffron

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp salt

2 medium onions

4 cloves garlic

2 medium tomatoes

1 red bell pepper

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 lemon

Method

First, marinate the chicken cubes with salt, black pepper, paprika powder, cumin powder, and turmeric powder. Also marinate the squid rings and shrimp with salt, paprika powder, lemon pepper, and turmeric powder. Set these aside to marinate while you prepare rest of the ingredients. Also, wash and soak 2 cups of paella or Arborio rice, or any short grain rice will do.

Finely dice the onions, tomatoes, and red bell pepper into small cubes. Crush, peel, and chop the garlic cloves as well. Cut a bunch of parsley finely to attain a couple tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley and cut one lemon into wedges.

Add a pinch of saffron to the chicken stock and bring this to a boil. Once boiled, set it aside for later use. To cook paella, it is essential to use a large pan with great surface area so that the rice cooks in a less compacted layer. In a large pan on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and let it heat up. Then add chopped onions and garlic and cook them until soft and fragrant.

Next, add in the diced tomatoes and red bell pepper, season them with salt and paprika powder and cook them for a while. After a couple of minutes, push the vegetables onto one side and drizzle in a tablespoon of oil on the other side. Once the oil is sufficiently heated, add in the marinated chicken and par-cook both the sides.

Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and add more oil, as required. Then, throw in the marinated shrimp and squid and partly cook them on all sides as well. Stir the vegetables occasionally while doing so. Remove the seafood and spread the vegetables all over the pan.

Next, return the chicken back to this mixture and stir, and add the drained rice as well. Combine everything together and pour in the saffron infused chicken stock. Allow this to cook for 20 minutes uncovered and make sure the rice is undisturbed during the cooking process, only add more stock if required. 

During the last 5 minutes of cooking, add back the half-cooked seafood and arrange them in a decorative manner. Cover with a lid and allow it to cook until the seafood is fully cooked through. Garnish with chopped parsley towards the end and serve with lemon wedges.         

ENGLISH BREAKFAST SURF AND TURF

There is nothing more classic than good old eggs benedict with hollandaise sauce when it comes to a classic English breakfast. This surf and turf rendition includes chicken rasher and smoked fish sandwiched inside a soft bun with a perfectly poached egg sitting atop, drizzled with zesty hollandaise sauce.  

Ingredients

4 pieces English muffins/ small buns

4 tsp mustard

4 strips chicken rasher

100g smoked fish fillet

2 tsp oil

For eggs benedict —

4 eggs

1 tbsp white vinegar

For the hollandaise sauce —

2 egg yolks

120g butter

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

1 tsp lemon pepper

½ tsp paprika powder

Method

There exist several methods to poach an egg, but the vortex method seems to be the fool-proof way. First, pass the eggs through a tea-strainer to get rid of the watery part of egg whites and drop them separately into ramekins. Bring a pot of water to a simmer and add in white vinegar. Using a large spoon, swirl the water around the edges to create a whirlpool at the centre.

Gently drop in one egg at a time in the middle of the vortex and the whites should wrap itself automatically around the yolk. Cook them for 3-4 minutes or until they float to the top and remove them with a slotted spoon on a plate lined with paper towel to soak excess water.

To prepare the hollandaise sauce, melt butter and strain away the foamy bits that are visible at the surface. Simultaneously, set up a double boiler and add a couple of egg yolks and lemon juice. Whisk these together until the egg is foamy and emulsified and ready to take in fat.

Next, pour in the melted butter at a steady stream and whisk continuously. Within a couple of minutes this should take on a rich and creamy consistency. Once the sauce is ready, add in salt, lemon pepper, and paprika powder and mix everything together to combine. Let this sauce sit atop the double boiler to stay warm and prevent splitting.

Heat up a pan and drizzle oil. Next, slice the buns in half and toast them, cut the chicken rasher into small squares and allow them to heat up along with the smoked fish fillet. Once all these have a good sear with grill marks, take them off the heat.

To assemble, spread mustard over the buns and place the chicken rasher and bite-size chunks of smoked fish atop. Place the egg on top and drizzle over the hollandaise sauce, to serve. The perfect accompaniment with your morning tea!

Food and Photo:Fariha Amber