Our Best Fishing Meal of 2019

We are fortunate to be able to go to many luxurious fishing resorts with great food, and some not-so-luxurious ones that also have great food. That’s not a strict necessity, of course, so long as the fishing is good, but the Robbins family will go out of our way for exceptional eats. Hanna somehow manages to keep the pounds off through her Orange Fitness Theory cult, but my belly speaks for the both of us.

Last year I went to Mexico three times, Brazil and Alaska, and each of them provided solid vittles, but the top vote gatherer for best meal of the year came from Grosse Savanne Lodge outside of Lake Charles, Louisiana. That’s not to say that the others weren’t great – just that this particular one combined local ingredients, creativity, artistry and novelty better than any other. It was the perfect combination of textures, of sweet and savory flavors, and had enough heft to fill you up (and then some) but an amazing lightness as well.

Even the non-dairy-non-sugar-non-carb=non-fun-eating Hanna was seen licking her plate.

What was the meal?

Chef Matthew Whitney’s “Pan seared soft shell crab over pimento cheese grits and shrimp en Brochette”

Grosse Savanne’s Executive Director of Operations Doug Miller was kind enough to provide us with the recipe.

Pimento Cheese Grits 

Serves 6 

• 2 tbs unsalted butter 

• 1/4 cup minced garlic 

• 1/2 cup diced pimento

• 1/2 cup Romano cheese

• 1/2 cup Monterey Jack Cheese

• 1 cup instant grits 4 cups half and half

1 tbs all purpose seasoning*

In a saucepan melt your butter on medium high heat, then add your garlic and pimentos and let sauté for 2 minutes. Add your all purpose seasoning and half and half and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil turn off your heat and add your grits, using a whisk to break up in clumps. Once your grits have been incorporated whip in your cheese.

Shrimp en Brochette

Serves 6

For the shrimp

• 3 dozen large shrimp peeled

• 18 strips of bacon (cut in half)

• Metal kabobs for skewering

Pre heat oven to 400. Take each shrimp and wrap with a half strip of bacon and place on metal kabobs, you should be able to get about 5 shrimp on each kabob. Place shrimp on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes turning the shrimp half way to ensure the bacon crisps evenly.

Brown sugar glaze

• 1 stick of unsalted butter

• 1 cup of brown sugar

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp hot sauce preferably Tabasco

• 1 tbs Dijon mustard

• 2 tbs of Worcestershire sauce 

2 tbs all purpose seasoning*

While your shrimp is in the oven, in a saucepan, melt your butter, then add your wet ingredients. Whisk ingredients together then whisk in your brown sugar and all purpose seasoning. Bring ingredients to a boil then remove from heat.

Once your shrimp come out of the oven, carefully remove them from the kabobs. I find it easiest to do this holding one end of the kabob with an oven mitt then using tongs, slide each shrimp off. Once your shrimp has been removed toss them in the brown sugar glaze.

Pan seared soft shell crabs

Serves 6

• 2 sticks of butter

• 2 tbs minced garlic

• 1 shallot diced

• 2 tsp all purpose seasoning*

• 6 soft shell crabs, preferably blue crabs, lungs removed.

Over medium heat melt one stick of butter, then sauté your garlic and shallots for 2-3 minutes. Add remaining butter and seasoning, once melted turn your heat up to medium high and place your crabs in the skillet. The crabs will be delicate so you want to be carful not to play around with them to much, cooking about 3-4 minutes on each side.

*1 batch of All purpose seasoning

• 1/3 cup salt 

• 2 tbs 1 1/2 tsp black pepper 

• 2 tbs 1 1/2 tsp White pepper

• 2 tbs 1 1/2 tsp Garlic powder

• 1 tbs cayenne

Don’t sleep on the appetizers, either!

And the steak….well, it speaks for itself.

Be sure to save room for dessert.

YOU GO TO GROSSE SAVANNE FOR THE FISHING AND HUNTING, BUT EVEN NON-OUTDOORSMEN AND WOMEN COULD GO FOR THE FOOD ALONE AND BE HAPPY