Surf and Turf Nigel Slater's Simple Cooking

I'm Nigel Slater.

I love simple cooking

and my favourite dishes are often based on the simplest combinations.

That's what I'll be looking at this series.

From sweet and sour, to soft and crunchy,

to something spicy with something cool.

All the elements that make something quite exciting to eat.

It's acidic and it's hot and sweet and sour, and it's all mixed up.

I'll be cooking the classics.

And some surprising new twists.

Wow!

I want to show you why they work so well, so you'll feel confident

to create your own food marriages that are made in heaven.

The whole thing just works together on a plate.

Today, I'll be looking at surf and turf,

the classic pairing of fish and meat.

Some of our most successful recipes combine the food of the land

and the sea on the same plate, with delicious results.

From delectable treats to the freshest of suppers,

I want to show you that there is more to this perfect pairing

than just meat and fish.

So as well as sharing my favourite surf and turf recipes,

I'll be discovering how others do it too.

It's absolutely gorgeous.

Traditionally, surf and turf is all about lobster and steak,

but I prefer something a bit less extravagant.

Surf and turf really does smack of hedonism.

The most expensive piece of fish, the most expensive piece of meat.

But I've got something much more interesting than that.

If you go to the other end of the fishmonger's slab,

you find the cheap fish such as mackerel,

especially smoked mackerel.

Mackerel is my favourite fish

and a great place to start exploring this perfect pairing.

To keep this really simple, I want to make a classic salad

that mixes the surfy fish with some turfy bacon.

The base of my salad is a few boiled salad potatoes.

These very beautiful, whole smoked mackerel.

If I can't find these then I just buy mackerel fillets.

It is just whatever is around and whatever is convenient.

But the real joy of these

is that the flesh stays really creamy and soft.

Another reason I love buying smoked fish

is that I don't even have to cook it.

Part of the thing I love about this recipe is that it's exactly

the opposite of what everybody thinks surf and turf is all about.

It's a very humble salad.

So, that's the surf, and now I need the turf.

And for that, I'm using streaky bacon.

You can use smoked or unsmoked, streaky or back,

you can even use pancetta if you wanted to.

I like my bacon crisp,

which gives me time to make a salad dressing.

Nothing fancy, just one with a mild mustard base.

Maybe a few capers,

their salty bite feels like it fits in this dish.

Capers really are one of those ingredients you have to check

that everybody likes them.

Because not everybody treats them as a friend.

To the capers and mustard, a splash of white wine vinegar,

pepper, and a generous glug of olive oil.

Parsley is a really good herb to put with fish and to put with bacon,

but I'm actually going to use dill.

I'm going to use dill because it works so well with smoked fish.

This salad needs the rustic quality of raw onion.

But to soften the harshness I'm soaking it in white wine vinegar.

So I put the onion into the dressing

and it's very slightly softened,

but that's not really the point.

The point is to take away those very coarse top notes that

actually, for me, can ruin a salad.

Once the potatoes are soft to the point of a knife,

they can be introduced to the dressing.

I've left the skins on because I like the flavour

of these very young potato skins,

but if you want to peel them, then do.

And then the whole lot goes in with my lovely mackerel.

And finally, I can mix the meat to the fish.

This salad will be great as it is,

but a few snips of bacon

will take it to a whole new level.

The idea for bacon with mackerel came from something

I had years ago in Scotland.

I had a mackerel that had been fried in bacon fat

and it was so good that I never forgot it.

That is delicious.

For me, this is surf and turf at its best.

You couldn't get further from a plate of lobster and steak,

but I'd take this humble version any day of the week.

It's cheaper too.

As with everything in life,

good cooking is all about getting the right balance.

In the kitchen, how you juggle your ingredients can make

the difference between a good supper and a great one.

Flavours should complement each other, not overwhelm.

There's one recipe I make that shows this off to perfection.

The whole concept of meat and fish together

is quite a big deal.

There are some people who probably just can't take it at all,

but if you use the ingredients subtly,

you won't even know they're there.

There's a way of using fish, not as an ingredient, but as a seasoning.

A sort of cook's secret.

This is a magical recipe for those who aren't convinced

by the surf and turf concept.

You can't taste the fish but it totally transforms the meat.

At this recipe's heart is some good quality lamb shanks.

I'm going to slow cook them in the oven.

But first, they need browning over a high heat.

SIZZLING

I want all those crusty, tasty bits

to stick to the pan

because they're going to dissolve when I put the liquid in.

A few roughly chopped onions

and a sliced clove of garlic will give my sauce some body.

This is where the first bit of the secret seasoning comes in.

It's only a tiny ingredient but it packs a big punch.

The surf part of this recipe is anchovy.

For such a strongly flavoured ingredient,

it's great that it can be used subtly as well.

Nobody but the cook's going to know it's there.

A sprig of rosemary and a couple of bay leaves

will add a delicious earthiness

to balance the rich lamb.

I've got some stock.

It can be any stock, really.

There's so much flavour going on in there

that it doesn't really matter what we use.

And then some red wine.

Just something that's lying around.

It doesn't have to be your best bottle.

And about the same quantity as stock.

This won't cover the shanks, it will just come part of the way up.

And because we're cooking with a lid on,

then it will cook in the liquid and in its own steam.

That goes into the oven for a good couple of hours,

to let the meat get really tender

and the ingredients develop and mellow.

The anchovy's done wonderful things to the sauce.

It's not like adding salt or pepper or lemon juice.

It's a completely individual seasoning.

But the wonderful thing is, you don't quite know what it is.

All you know is it's added a depth and an intrigue to the sauce.

I like to leave the shanks to rest

so that the meat stays really juicy.

It also gives me a chance to add a final seasoning to the sauce.

A handful of fresh herbs

and a few extra anchovies.

Once that's simmering,

take out the shanks.

It's filling and it's hearty and it's not terribly expensive,

and it comes with a secret.

The meat comes off the bone very nicely.

There's a real depth of flavour there,

somehow it's as if the anchovy has boosted the flavour of the lamb.

But you'd never know what the secret seasoning was.

All you know is that it's absolutely delicious.

You probably wouldn't think of this as surf and turf,

but it's exactly the reason this dish works so well.

The lamb is the main ingredient

but I reckon the anchovy is the real star here.

You know, I'm a city boy.

I love the idea of living on an island.

The fact that we've got both of nature's larders,

the land and the sea,

for inspiration.

Some people are so jammy, they have both - right on their doorstep.

I used to go fishing with my father and we were very much a believer

that if you catch it, you eat it.

There's nothing better than actually catching your dinner,

whichever way you do it.

Ian Taylor is a fisherman.

He and his crew mainly fish for sea bass, off the beautiful Weymouth Coast in Dorset.

That's one there.

Just reel this one in.

But Ian's favourite ocean offering, by far, is scallops.

I do a bit of scallop diving as well

and you can't beat hand-caught scallops, really.

They're the best in the world.

Ian has invited me to come along to one of the crew's after sail treats.

He cooks scallops with chorizo right on the back of the boat.

So it sounds like I'm in for a tasty lunch.

First, the scallops have to be removed from their shells.

What you do to open the scallop is you have the crown shape facing you.

You've always got a slit in the side of the scallop

so you put your knife in that way, where the slit is

and just nick the muscle,

and that opens the shell.

Then pull the skirt off...

Knife at the back,

cut down to the bottom of the shell

and then your scallop, underneath,

and the whole thing comes out.

You want to leave as much as you can in the shells.

Then what you want to do is get rid of the intestine bit.

You've got to be careful when you do that bit,

otherwise you'll pull the roe off.

I fall out with some professional chefs

because they throw the roe away. But I like the coral.

You're losing half the scallop.

It tastes all right, it's good.

That's the cracking bit.

And the beauty of fresh scallops is, if you really want to,

you can eat them whole like that.

There's a seagull eating that bit.

Nothing's wasted at sea!

Scallops aren't really your business, they're more for fun.

Bass fishing and scuba-diving is my business.

But as a by-product of the scuba-diving,

we often get scallops to eat.

I don't sell them, normally, we just eat them. I love scallops.

We have eaten them in every way imaginable, really!

We've curried them, done all sorts with them.

I quite often have a scallop sandwich, which is literally,

flour them, get the frying pan going with a bit of butter in it,

fry them two or three minutes either side, and put them in a sandwich.

-You see, if I did that, that'd cost me 20 quid.

-Yeah, I know!

Do you like the whole thing, that idea of eating meat with fish?

Yes, it's a good combination, it works well.

You get the different textures, the different flavours.

The idea of having something that you've just caught

and you just stick it in the pan and see what happens,

that is my sort of cooking, really.

This spicy sausage is the perfect partner for Ian's scallops.

Chorizo in.

Already, that smells fantastic.

All those orangey juices.

They'll leak out into the pan.

Very nice.

Just smell that now!

Put some of these in.

And these really are flash-fried, aren't they?

Yes, you want to overdo them. Couple or three minutes, and that's it.

You could eat them as they are now.

You're not cooking them for any other reason than taste, really.

I like to make sure the chorizo is actually cooked,

if anything overcooked, because it goes a bit crispy

and you've got a crunch to it. And then the scallops are soft.

Those tiny little things that make something great rather than good.

Getting the textures right, getting the mixture of crisp and soft.

These are going to be a bit spicy, aren't they?

They should be a bit, yes.

A bit of chilli there.

I love spice! I think they are near enough done.

Just to finish it off,

just a bit of honey.

A bit of runny honey.

Not too much.

Isn't that beautiful?

The shell finishes it off nicely as well.

Yeah, too many of these ended up as ashtrays and...

-and lampshades!

-They're great for food.

-Who wants some, then, lads?

-Go on, then.

Oh, my goodness.

That is...that is such a treat.

Yeah?

There's not too many flavours?

No. There's not.

It's spicy and it's sweet.

I was scared when I saw you put the honey in.

-I wanted to shout stop.

-What, put the honey in?

-Yes, but I was wrong.

-I was completely wrong because it's lovely.

-Cracking, skipper.

It really is, honestly.

And anybody who isn't sure about surf and turf,

this is the dish to give them, isn't it?

This is... yes.

It's extreme surf and turf.

It is absolutely gorgeous.

I love any excuse to experiment.

And dreaming up a sweet recipe for surf and turf has given me

the perfect chance to play.

You'd have to be a more adventurous cook than me

to make a surf and turf pudding.

But I do like the idea of salt and sugar together.

So to get as close to surf and turf as I can in a dessert,

I'm going to try mixing chocolate with some sea salt

to make a wonderful treat. Let's call them sea salt chocolate snaps.

It starts with one of my favourite things to do in the kitchen.

There's something I love about melting chocolate.

And yet it is one of those questions

that I'm asked more than any other - how do you melt chocolate?

I am told that the easiest way is in the microwave.

But I like to do it the old-fashioned way

with the chocolate broken into small pieces

over a pan of simmering water.

And I don't poke and I don't prod and I don't stir.

I just leave the chocolate to melt itself.

I absolutely love pistachio nuts.

They remind me of being on holiday.

Just sitting there with a drink as the sun goes down,

shelling wonderful little nuts.

A handful of any chopped nuts would be great for this recipe.

It's worth keeping an eye on the chocolate...

..and just pushing the unmelted chocolate down into the melted.

No stirring, just pushing solid into the liquid.

Once the chocolate has started to melt, you can turn the heat off.

Because the residual heat will do everything you need.

I also fancy throwing a couple of handfuls of toasted almonds in too.

This really isn't the time to do other things.

I know it's tempting, but they burn in a heartbeat, they really do.

When the almonds are golden brown, a sprinkling of sugar

will add a lovely toasted, caramel flavour.

It's extraordinary how nuts straight from the jar

taste of almost nothing

and then, give them some warmth and a tiny little bit of sugar,

and they taste amazing. And they smell like deepest autumn.

Once they're glistening and smelling sweet, they're done.

Now comes the bit I love.

Just spoon the melted chocolate onto some greaseproof paper.

Now, I think these are much nicer

when the chocolate is really thin and crisp.

And there's no right or wrong chocolate for this.

If you like milk chocolate, then use it.

But I like the idea of chocolate that's quite dark and bitter...

with the sugar...and the nuts.

This is where you've got to work fast

while the chocolate is still soft.

You don't need many of these.

You don't even need them at all if you don't want to.

It's just that I like having two flavours of nut...

and then the salt. This is where the surf comes in.

I love the idea of...

the flakes of salt and the sugar...

..and the earthy chocolate.

And I just fancy something...

..something silly. I'm going to put some...

..crystallised rose petals on. Could be violets.

The thing about crystallised...

rose and violet petals, is that they're really sugary.

So what you get is little explosions

of sugar and salt in your mouth at the same time.

And then of course, the deep earthiness of the chocolate.

That's as near as I get to turf.

These are at their best chilled and crisp,

so just 15 to 20 minutes in the fridge ought to do the trick.

I can't wait to see how these turn out.

It's extraordinary.

The grittiness of the sugar, the little grains of sea salt,

the toasted nuts and then the gorgeous melted chocolate.

It's really, really wonderful.

And you get fingers to lick as well.

These are a must-make for everyone.

Trust me, that sprinkling of salt really is the icing on the cake.

I'm back in Weymouth with fisherman Ian and his wife Cathy.

This time, it's my turn to cook

and I fancy trying something a bit different.

This samphire has got a lovely crisp, salty flavour

and will be perfect for the recipe I have in mind.

I'm not sure I can beat your scallops...

-I'm sure you'll have a good go.

-..because they were wonderful.

But I wanted the idea of taking surf and turf back to absolute basics.

And doing it as cheaply as possible.

I'm going to chop up a little bit of bacon.

I'm using pancetta, but you can use any type of bacon.

The only other ingredient to go in is this dazzling fresh samphire.

It's a type of sea vegetable which you can get

from good fishmongers and some supermarkets.

-You know this, don't you?

-We see it around on the beaches.

It's not something I have actually ever gone and picked up

and eaten before.

I'm into that sort of thing as well, so it'll be quite interesting

to see what it tastes like.

I eat it raw. I don't want to cook it for more than a few seconds.

Can I try bit raw?

Yes, help yourself.

It's very salty... It's very sea...tasting.

Salty, but sea tasting.

Yes, definitely.

That is marsh samphire,

but then I picked this today, very carefully.

-You see that a lot on the beach.

-Yes.

-This is the rock samphire.

-Have you eaten this raw?

-No.

-Well, tell me what you think.

-That's completely different.

-That is different.

-Lemon.

-It's got like a sharp taste, like lemon something.

I think you need to steam that. But I think it's just worth trying it.

It does look lovely.

It smells really good.

So, a bit of both on the fork at the same time.

And mind, it's going to be a bit hot to start with.

Hot.

You've got the bacon there, haven't you?

And then the salt water, the sea-ness with it as well.

It's still nice and crunchy as well.

Yes. This would go nice with a drop of wine, I think.

-Want a glass?

-Yes, please!

-Like a glass?

-I'd love one. Thank you.

The thing about surf and turf is you've got the excuse of saltiness

to have a drink.

There you go.

-Cheers. Thank you.

-Cheers.

Cheers, thank you.

The origin of the name surf and turf was lobster and steak.

But the most useful meat when you are working with fish is pork.

Parma ham will really bring out the sweetness of fish.

So that is exactly what I am going to do with this really quick recipe

which starts off very simply with sage leaves

and a couple of slices of Parma ham.

I like to wrap...

a fish fillet, something like trout, in a little bit of bacon

or a little bit of Parma ham.

What happens is the fat in the ham

or the bacon just melts a little,

it bastes the fish as it cooks.

And it sweetens it.

Just roll up the fish fillet.

A skewer will make sure my ham

and its lovely juices cook snugly alongside the trout.

So I'll pop that in the oven, about 15 or 20 minutes,

and we'll have a look.

Some roughly chopped parsley

and a squeeze of fresh lemon will season the dish beautifully.

There's truly great smells on a rainy day.

Something baking in the oven that's all buttery and lemony.

And then these wonderful buttery juices.

There's everything in there - lemon, butter, parsley,

that little bit of melted fat from the Parma ham

and, of course, the fish juices.

All working together.

Smelling wonderful.

This dish works so well because of how the fish is cooked

in all those lovely sweet and salty juices from the Parma ham.

Cooking the fish alone just wouldn't give you

the same utterly scrumptious results.

Surf and turf.

What a brilliantly simple, perfect pairing

to inspire some truly fabulous dishes.

Easy to adapt and make your own too.

Next time, I'm exploring the contrast of spicy and cool.

Fiery flavours tempered with something soothing.

These taste sensations make simple dishes into really special ones.

The lamb's mouth-poppingly hot.

And then you get this super-cool salad of pomegranate and cucumber.

The whole thing works together.

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