History of Surf N’ Turf
Surf and Turf has been on menus for a long time now – since the mid 1960s when it first made its debut. Some culinary historians will tell you that this dish had its start in the state of Washington in the city of Seattle. The first dish could have been served in 1962 in the restaurant at the very top of the Seattle Space Needle during the World’s Fair.
But then the battle with East Coast food historians begins, with that side of the country claiming that this classic menu item was first served in a restaurant in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1966 after an ad in the local paper advertised it as a “Continental Original”.
Either way, Surf and Turf has been delighting both steak and seafood lovers for over fifty years, giving them the best of both culinary tastes.
Surf N’ Turf Around The World
Other countries have their own style of serving seafood and steak. When you ordered Surf and Turf off the menu in Dublin, Ireland it wasn’t just one serving for each person that appeared at your table. What was presented was a large tray that was filled with fresh fish that had been caught that very day, such as lobster, sole, and prawns. Another tray held different cuts of steak, all the way from porterhouse to fillet mignon.
Depending on where you dine today, restaurants are going to have their own versions of Surf and Turf. The favorite combination of steak and seafood is a grilled filet mignon served with a lobster tail. Or a grilled sirloin with butterfly shrimp. But these isn’t the only combinations available, not by a long short.
Getting Inventive With Steak And Seafood
Chefs around the world are getting inventive with what two duos they serve together. And it’s no longer just a grilled steak side by side with seafood – there are some unique versions of Surf and Turf making their appearance.
One Thai restaurant is serving its version by pairing briny uni with a dry-aged porterhouse steak. Still other chefs are serving beef burgers with a side of shrimp, grilled scallops with lamb ravioli, and seafood dumplings with a grilled sirloin.
Surf N’ Turf At Home
The next time you’re getting ready to grill up a steak at home, come up with your own versions of the classic. The sky is the limit when it comes to seafood – blackened sockeye salmon, grilled sea bass, or breaded shrimp. And for the steak, why not try a juicy sirloin or even a skirt steak.
It doesn’t matter what variation of Surf and Turf you make, so long as you’re getting a juicy, tender cut of steak with fresh seafood.
