Earlier this week I received a wonderful gift from my friend and co-worker, Jimmy Fee. Jimmy had just returned from a trip to Delaware Bay, where he scored a fine haul of black drum.

Generally, I am a bit skeptical about taking free fish from others. You never really know how old it is, or if it was cared for properly. Plus, it rattles my ego a bit bringing home another man’s fish. But in this case, the fillets in question were from a species I have only dined upon once. Plus, I trust Jimmy to properly prepare his catch. I knew it was fresh, and it was carefully packed in a quality Yeti cooler, surrounded by a copious amount of ice.

When I asked Jimmy how to prepare it, I got an unexpected response. “You’re asking the wrong guy! But I heard you can make a very good ‘Drum Parmesan’ with it.”

Drum Parmesan? Really? I was intrigued. I immediately Googled it, but did not find a single recipe. Was he messing with me?

But I’ll dine on just about anything, so I decided to give it a try. I used the exact same preparation I use for making chicken parmesan. It was delicious!

Black Drum Parmesan

• 1 Thick fillet of black drum
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup panko
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• salt & pepper

Mix together the breadcrumbs, panko and half of the parmesan cheese. Season the fillet with salt and pepper. Roll it in the flour, dip it in the egg wash, and then roll it in the crumb mixture until it is completely coated. Refrigerate for 10 minutes (this will make the breading stick better).

Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet on medium-low heat. Fry the fillet until it’s golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place it in a small ceramic baking dish, top it with the marinara, and sprinkle it with the cheese. Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven until the top is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Try it! Some people claim you should never serve fish and cheese together, but don’t listen to them. The result was very similar to good veal parmesan. Black drum has a firm texture that when cooked reminds me of a cross between striped bass and tender pork. It was so good, I plan on trying it with striped bass later this season.

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