How Gordon Ramsay Put An Australian Spin On Surf And Turf

When you hear of surf and turf, you probably envisage a hearty pairing of steak and lobster. That's the generally accepted definition, although some people might stretch it to include shellfish in general; the meat part is usually interpreted as beef, with the "turf" referring to grass that cattle eat. But why box yourself in with such rigid definitions? Look to Gordon Ramsay for inspiration instead.

When visiting the Australian state of Tasmania for Season 2, Episode 1 of his National Geographic travel series "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted," Ramsay dives into a cookoff with accomplished local chef and outdoorswoman Analiese Gregory. The focus is all hyper-local ingredients, so Ramsay puts a twist on the standard surf and turf, pairing wallaby meat (an Aussie marsupial that's like a smaller kangaroo; a bit like if you gave a kangaroo some rabbit-like characteristics) with crayfish.

Ramsay is a big admirer of the tenderness of the wallaby meat, especially considering his observation that it has no marbling (streaks of fat) as you'd see with beef. He sears the wallaby quickly like you'd do with steak to form a crust, before flambéeing it with a high-end local whisky, which he turns into a sauce with the wallaby juices.

As for the crayfish, Ramsay blanches it (briefly boiling it) before poaching it in a sea urchin butter, and finishing it with leatherwood honey, a local variety known for floral yet spicy notes, and pepperberry, a local berry which (as the name implies) gives a peppery kick.

For non-Australians, these two ingredients may need introduction. Wallaby is likely the less familiar of the two. Although wallabies are common in Australia, their meat is not eaten so widely (particularly compared to their more popular cousin, kangaroo), although that's changing nowadays. It's also an environmentally friendly meat, as Tasmania has an overpopulation problem with the wild critters grazing on pastures meant for livestock. It's the veal to kangaroo meat, with a delicate and almost sweet taste, compared to kangaroo's bolder flavor somewhere between red meat and game. While Gordon Ramsay grills it, it's a versatile meat that can be braised or used like ground beef or lamb, although be careful not to overcook it, as the low fat content means it can dry out. Good luck finding it in the USA; you'll probably need to look to specialist exotic meat importers.

As for crayfish, chances are higher you've tasted something similar. But Ramsay's Tasmanian crayfish isn't the same as its U.S. namesake, where both "crayfish" and "crawfish" (which look like mini lobsters) are used to describe freshwater shellfish. In Australia, "crayfish" is often (and arguably, incorrectly) used to describe rock lobsters, as well as (correctly) freshwater shellfish. Considering he fishes them out from under ocean rocks, Ramsay seems to be cooking the former. It's a sweet and super-fresh crustacean, thanks to the cold Southern Ocean waters, according to his Tasmanian guide. But again, you won't get the same ones in the USA: This lobster-crayfish is different to its North American counterpart.