A Taste of Maine in Hilton Head

Michael LaDuke here again at the Red Lobster Chef’s Blog, coming to you this week from Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Each year my wife Kathleen and my children Alexis (10) and Zachary (9) take the six- hour drive north from Orlando, to spend some time on Hilton Head Island. The trip has the same purpose every year: to re-connect and spend time with my family, and to enjoy a relaxing week on the coast. Every morning I go to the local markets and buy what we need for dinner, and cook it that night. Whether it is firing up the charcoal, or making BLTs with my kids, it is always a great family experience. Yesterday I was at the market and saw a tank of live Maine lobsters. I couldn’t resist. I picked out a couple of lobsters, some clams, shrimp, early season corn from the South and red potatoes, and decided to have a Lobster Boil.

First I made a batch of the Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits -- sorry, knowing the recipe is a perk of my job -- and then I started a pot of water boiling with a generous portion of seafood seasoning (there are plenty on the market; you can use your favorite.) Then I added half a bottle of a New Zealand Marlborough County Sauvignon Blanc to the pot, and saved half for the chef! This region produces a great Sauvignon Blanc that is far less earthy and dry then its California counterpart. I have found them to be great drinking wines and at a great value. Don’t be scared off by the screw top. Some wine makers in this area use screw tops on all their wines now, The tops are less expensive than cork and some say they are actually better for the wine.

OK, back to the food. Once the pot simmered I added the corn and one stick of whole butter (hey it is vacation). After a few minutes, I added the lobsters, clams and shrimp, topped them with the potatoes, and covered the pot. In the meantime I finished the warm biscuits with a little garlic butter. After simmering the seafood for about 15 minutes, I removed everything from the pot and simply served it from platters on the table. Some folks lay the ingredients out on newspaper, but I prefer platters so I can use the liquid for dipping with my seafood and biscuits.

The rest is history. We just rolled up our sleeves, sat at the picnic table and enjoyed the fresh air and the fresh seafood. The flavors and the atmosphere took me back to times I had travelled to Maine and New England, and reminded me just how relaxing the coast and the ocean can be.

So that’s it from my vacation. A couple more dinners to go and I’ll be back to work. Until then, if you really want to relax and re-connect, come see what’s fresh today at Red Lobster, and let us fix you lobster any way you like it.

Michael LaDuke