Made with grilled steak, prawns and creamy garlic and caper dressing, this is a surf and turf salad recipe you have to put in your meal plan. It’s Whole30, paleo and keto-friendly.
My Surf & Turn Salad
Red meat and seafood are some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet so this satiating surf and turf salad is one epically nutritious meal.
I recently made this for mum and me for dinner and we both commented on how well the classic combination of steak and prawns works in a salad format.
What Is Surf & Turf?
If you’ve never heard of a ‘surf and turf’ before, it refers to a dish of steak (turf) and seafood (surf) such as prawns/shrimp, crab or lobster topped with (usually) creamy sauce. It’s popular in Australia/NZ, America and in Canada and is usually served at steakhouses or pubs.
The sauce is often made with dairy cream and fries are served on the side, so I always thought of it as a pretty heavy affair. I wanted to take the idea of those ingredients but turn it into a healthier, lighter option.
That said, this salad is still very satiating due to the high protein content but you’ll be getting plenty of veggies in there too.
A little trivia: I was researching the origins of surf and turf and the words ‘surf and turf’ were often considered to symbolise the middle-class continental cuisine of the 1960s and 1970s, when seafood (often frozen) and steak were the show-off foods for the middle class. Thomas Keller – a famous chef – reappropriated the name for one of his dishes made with those two ingredients.
Love this recipe? Try my 20-Minute BLT Salad With Shrimp & Avocado, Crispy Garlic Pork Steaks With Green Beans & Leeks, or Kale Chicken & Apple Salad. If you love shrimp try these green onion fritters with Sriracha mayo.
How To Make Surf & Turn Salad
Here are some step-by-step photos to guide you along.
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Ingredients
- 200 g beef steaks around 0.5 lb., I used scotch fillets, you can use rump, sirloin, NY strip
- 10 large shrimp peeled, deveined but with the tails intact
- 1 bunch asparagus spears cut in halves and hard ends removed
- 1/2 medium zucchini sliced in circles
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 3 cups baby leaf mix baby spinach, rocket, gem or cos, you can use a mix
- optional: some chopped chives or spring onion/scallions
For the dressing
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 anchovy finely chopped (can be omitted but it doesn’t add much ‘anchovy’ taste)
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped or grated
- 1 teaspoon baby capers chopped
- 2 teaspoons caper juice from the baby capers jar or lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon or other mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Pat dry the beef steaks and season with a little salt and pepper on each side. Prepare the shrimp (prawns), asparagus, zucchini, and tomatoes and set aside.
- Sprinkle the green vegetables and shrimp with a little salt and pepper as well. Season the prawns with a little paprika (it gives it a lovely colour).
- Mix the dressing ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Heat a large frying pan over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once really hot, add the steaks and asparagus spears. Cook the steaks for 3.5 minutes on each side and asparagus for about 2 minutes each side. Remove asparagus before the steaks.
- In another frying pan, grill the zucchini slices in another tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes each side, or until golden brown. Once cooked, set aside as well.
- Remove the cooked steaks to a cutting board and allow to rest of a few minutes.
- In the meantime, keep the large frying pan over high heat and add the shrimp / prawns. If needed, add a little more oil, if needed. Cook for 2 minutes each side and remove from the heat.
- To assemble the salad, place the salad leaves on a large platter and scatter half of the zucchini, asparagus and cherry tomatoes over the top. Slice the steaks into thin strips and scatter them over the salad.
- Top the steak with the remaining vegetables and then place the grilled prawns on top. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with chopped chives.
Nutrition
I made this tonight, Absolutely delicious!! My daughters approved as well!! No left overs ☺️☺️ Thank you for sharing 🥰
I love the sound of this Mayo dressing. I must get some capers!
I prepared this last night and it was a huge hit! No leftovers. Lol Thank you.
Thanks, Deanna! I’m glad it was a hit 🙂 Irena