Surf and Turf Fried Rice

This is a new way to celebrate the decadence of surf and turf.  A flavorful and scrumptious fried rice with strips of tender and succulent filet mignon married with little chunks of shrimp, stir fried in a red pepper, garlic and shallot sauce, then mixed with fluffy rice to make for one very happy main course or side dish.  If it sounds promising, that's because it is.

This recipe calls for 4 ounces of any lean steak.  You could easily use a sirloin or strip steak, but I chose to use filet because I wanted guaranteed tenderness and I just felt like indulging.  You only need to buy one steak after all.  It might as well be a good one!

 

Surf and Turf Fried Rice

Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's Step-by-Step Cooking

Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a side dish

1-1/4 cups long-grain rice

1 red bell pepper

1 shallot, or 1/2 small onion

2 small cloves garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

4 ounces lean beef steak (I used filet mignon)

4 medium shrimp

2 cabbage leaves

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

chopped scallions, for garnish

Optional: 1 teaspoon of red curry paste and or red pepper flakes for added heat.    

                                         A few splashes of soy sauce

Put the rice in a bowl and wash in several changes of water, then drain.  Cover it generously with fresh water and leave to soak for 30 minutes; drain again.  Put the rice into a heavy-based pan.  Add 1-2/3 cup water and bring to a boil.  Cover the pan tightly, turn the heat to very low, and cook for 25 minutes.  Turn off the heat.  Keep covered and let the rice cool to room temperature.

Core, deseed, and coarsely chop the red pepper.  Peel and coarsely chop the shallot.  Combine the red pepper, shallot, red curry paste (if using), salt, pepper, chili powder, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a blender.  Blend to a smooth paste.  Add a few shakes of soy sauce, if desired.

Cut the steak across the grain into very thin slices.  Peel and devein the shrimp.  Cut into 1/4-inch wide segments.  Set aside.  Cut the cabbage leaves into very fine long shreds. 

Shortly before serving, set a wok over medium-high heat, then put in the oil.  When the oil is hot, add the spice paste from the blender.  Fry, stirring for 3-4 minutes until the paste turns dark red and the oil separates.  Add the beef and shrimp; stir and fry for 1-2 minutes.  Add the rice, breaking up any lumps with the back of a slotted spoon.  After breaking up the rice, go ahead and add the strips of cabbage, stir frying for a couple minutes or until the rice is heated through.  Garnish with scallions, and serve.

Theme: Potluck