Bronzed Black Drum Recipes

BLACKENED DRUM

Steps:

• For the sweet potatoes: Heat a large skillet over high heat until smoking hot. Add the grapeseed oil and then the sweet potatoes. Allow the potatoes to sear for 2 to 3 minutes and then turn the heat down to medium. Toss the sweet potatoes and cook until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the molasses, chili powder and cayenne and toss to coat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
• For the green beans: Bring a large pot of water (seasoned with 2 tablespoons salt per gallon of water) to a rolling boil. Prepare an ice bath to shock the beans. Add about one-quarter of the beans to the boiling water (you don't want to add so many beans that the water loses the boil) and cook until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the beans from the water with a skimmer and shock in the ice bath. Repeat until all of the beans are cooked. Remove the beans from the ice bath and dry with a towel.
• Heat a large skillet over high heat. Melt the butter and then add the green beans. Saute the green beans until tender and slightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
• For the blackened drum: Combine the blackening spice and salt, reducing or omitting the salt as needed (taste the spice mix first as some brands already have salt added). Spread the spice mixture on a plate and coat each side of the fish fillets.
• Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the grapeseed oil, gently lay the fish in the skillet and sear until the spices have blackened and formed a nice crust on the fish, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently flip the fish and sear on the second side for 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove from the pan and allow the fillets to rest for a few minutes before plating.
• For serving: Mound some of the sweet potatoes in the centers of 6 plates. Place the green beans on top of the sweet potatoes and then top each plate with a fillet of fish. Top the fish with some Herb Butter and serve while the butter is melting over the hot fish.
• Combine the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and parsley in a bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

PAN-ROASTED BLACK DRUM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Rinse the fish and pat it dry. Leave the fillet whole and score it lengthwise on the skin side with a shallow 3- to 4-inch-long slit to minimize curling. Season it generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil, coating the pan. Lay the fish in the pan, skin side down, and cook it for about 3 minutes or until it is golden brown and releases easily with a spatula. Flip the fish, and tuck 2 of the bay leaves underneath and place the other one on top. Dot the top of the fillet with the butter, and after it melts, tilt the pan and use a spoon to baste the fish a few times with the fat and juices. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for about 4 minutes, until the fish is just done and the tip of a sharp knife left in the middle of the thickest part for a few seconds comes out warm to the touch. Transfer the fish to a warm platter, removing and discarding the bay leaves.