Winter Surf and Turf with Garlic Crab, Mushroom-Sauced Steak, Roasted Cabbage and Crab Noodles

Seared Steak

A hard sear and a proper rest give the beef a browned exterior and a juicy, pink center. Thin slicing makes a modest portion feel generous alongside the crab.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb thick-cut top sirloin steaks, about 1½ inches thick
• 1¼ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp ghee

Instructions

1. Pat the steaks dry, season with salt and pepper, and leave out for 30 minutes while preparing the vegetables.
2. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ghee, then sear the steaks for 3–4 minutes per side, including the fat edges, until well browned.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and turn every minute until the center reaches 125–130°F for medium-rare or 135–140°F for medium. Begin checking early; thickness matters more than the clock.
4. Rest on a warm plate for 10 minutes. Reserve the skillet and resting juices for the mushroom sauce, then slice the beef thinly across the grain.

Notes

• For a food-safety-conservative endpoint, cook whole beef steaks to 145°F and rest at least 3 minutes.

Mushroom–Red Wine Pan Sauce

Deeply browned mushrooms and reduced wine create a savory, glossy sauce without flour. Butter rounds out the acidity at the end.

Ingredients

• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, finely sliced
• 1 small shallot, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp ghee
• ½ cup dry red wine
• ¾ cup unsalted gluten-free beef stock
• 1 tsp gluten-free tamari
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 tbsp cold unsalted butter
• to taste salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. While the steaks cook, heat the ghee in a separate saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 7–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until their moisture evaporates and they brown. Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes.
2. After removing the steaks, pour off excess fat from their skillet. Add the wine, scrape up the browned bits, and transfer this liquid to the mushrooms.
3. Add the stock, tamari, and thyme. Simmer until reduced to roughly ½–⅔ cup and lightly syrupy.
4. Discard the thyme stems. Stir in the steak resting juices, remove from the heat, and swirl in the cold butter. Taste for salt and pepper.

Notes

• If the sauce becomes too concentrated, loosen it with a tablespoon or two of water. Keep it warm without boiling after adding the butter.

Garlic-Butter Dungeness Crab with Fennel

Cracked shells let the garlic butter reach the sweet crab meat. Thin fennel and onion soften into the sauce, with lemon keeping the finish bright.

Ingredients

• 2½–3 lb cooked, cleaned Dungeness crab sections, shells cracked
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
• ½ small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup water
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• to taste salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the ghee in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion with a small pinch of salt and cook for 6–8 minutes, until softened but not deeply browned.
2. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and water, then simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Add the cracked crab sections, cover, and steam gently for 4–6 minutes, turning once, until hot throughout. Avoid prolonged cooking, which toughens the meat.
4. Lower the heat and fold in the butter, lemon juice, and parsley. Toss to coat the shells and aromatics in the glossy juices. Taste before adding more salt.

Notes

• Buy additional picked crab for the noodle component, or purchase a larger whole crab and reserve 6 ounces of picked meat before cooking.
• Use cooked crab from a trusted fishmonger and keep refrigerated until needed.

Roasted Cabbage with Garlic and Lemon

Roasting wedges develops dark, sweet edges while the thicker ribs stay juicy. Garlic added late stays fragrant rather than burning.

Ingredients

• 1 medium green or savoy cabbage, about 2 pounds
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the cabbage into 8 wedges, retaining enough core to hold each wedge together.
2. Coat with 2½ tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet with a cut side down.
3. Roast for 20 minutes, turn carefully, and roast for another 10–20 minutes, until the cut faces are deeply browned and a knife slides easily through the thick ribs.
4. Toss the garlic with the remaining olive oil and scatter it over the cabbage for the final 8 minutes of roasting.
5. Finish with lemon juice and spoon any garlicky pan juices over the wedges.

Butternut Squash Purée

Roasted squash provides a smooth, sweet contrast to the beef and cabbage. A little butter and lemon make it rich without tasting heavy.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb peeled, seeded butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• ¼–½ cup hot water
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Toss the squash with olive oil and salt on a baking sheet. Cover tightly with foil and roast at 425°F for 25 minutes.
2. Remove the foil and roast for another 10–20 minutes, until completely tender, with only light browning.
3. Blend with the butter and ¼ cup hot water until very smooth, adding more water a tablespoon at a time as needed. Vent the blender safely when blending hot ingredients.
4. Stir in the lemon juice and adjust the salt. Keep warm in a covered saucepan over very low heat.

Notes

• The finished purée should hold a soft mound rather than spread into a puddle.

Ginger Crab Noodles with Carrot, Scallions and Basil

Fine noodles catch the crab and aromatic dressing without overwhelming them. Brief cooking keeps the carrots crisp and the herbs fresh.

Ingredients

• 4 oz dried gluten-free thin rice noodles
• 6 oz cooked picked Dungeness crab meat, checked for shell
• 1 medium carrot, peeled into short ribbons
• 4 scallions, sliced, whites and greens separated
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ tbsp gluten-free tamari
• 1 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• ¼ cup water, plus more as needed
• ½ cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn

Instructions

1. Soak or cook the rice noodles according to their package directions, stopping just short of fully tender. Drain and rinse briefly under cool water.
2. Mix the tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and ¼ cup water in a small bowl.
3. Heat the avocado oil in a wok or wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrot and scallion whites and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
4. Add the noodles and sauce. Toss for 1–2 minutes, adding a splash of water if necessary, until the noodles are tender and lightly coated rather than wet.
5. Fold in the crab and heat gently for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the scallion greens and basil. Serve immediately in small bowls.

Notes

• These quantities make four small noodle portions alongside the surf-and-turf plate. Toss with tongs gently to preserve the crab pieces.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The vegetables roast together while the stovetop work is staged. Finishing the crab and noodles last keeps the seafood tender.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F. Prepare the squash and cabbage on separate baking sheets and start roasting.
2. 0:15 — Season the steaks. Crack and check the crab, slice the aromatics, and prepare all noodle ingredients.
3. 0:30 — Turn the cabbage and uncover the squash as needed. Brown the mushrooms and shallot in a saucepan.
4. 0:40 — Blend the tender squash and keep warm. Finish roasting the cabbage; hold loosely covered. Begin cooking the fennel and onion for the crab.
5. 0:45 — Sear the steaks. Hydrate the noodles according to their package instructions.
6. 1:00 — Rest the steaks and deglaze their skillet to finish the mushroom sauce. Gently warm the crab with its aromatics.
7. 1:10 — Slice and plate the beef, crab, cabbage, and purée. Stir-fry the noodles immediately before serving them as a small accompanying or second course.

Notes

• Allow about 75–90 minutes overall, depending on prep speed and steak thickness. The squash purée can be made a day ahead.

Plating

Keeping the main elements distinct preserves the contrast between sweet crab, savory beef, silky purée, and charred cabbage.

Instructions

1. Use warm, broad plates. Place a generous spoonful of squash purée near one corner and arrange sliced steak beside it.
2. Spoon the mushroom sauce over only part of the beef so the pink centers remain visible.
3. Arrange the cabbage in a loose stack opposite the purée. Add the shell-on crab beside it, spooning the fennel, onion, and garlic butter over the shells.
4. Serve the crab noodles in separate small bowls. Provide shell bowls, crab picks, and napkins at the table.

Leftover Path

Separating seafood from the other components allows gentler reheating and protects both texture and storage quality.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow, covered containers within 2 hours. Remove remaining crab meat from the shells and store separately from the beef and vegetables.
2. Use the crab and crab noodles within 1–2 days; use the beef, sauce, cabbage, and purée within 3–4 days.
3. Reheat the purée with a splash of water and warm the cabbage in a 375°F oven. Warm leftover steak gently in the mushroom sauce rather than searing it again.
4. Reheat leftover crab noodles once in a covered skillet with a splash of water until steaming throughout, reaching 165°F. Avoid extended cooking.
5. For another meal, serve thinly sliced cold steak with roasted cabbage and a lemon dressing, with warmed squash purée alongside.