by Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
At times, Douglas Olander feels he has made a living from the Rodney Dangerfield of the fish world. Over the years, the Louisiana black drum has gotten no respect. That is, until recently.
Thirty years ago the black drum, a fish found near shore in coastal waters, couldn’t be given away – let alone sold. Even when his wife, Chrystel, and he founded their business in 2001, the market price for black drum was only around a half dollar a pound.
Douglas Olander feels he has made a living from the Rodney Dangerfield of the fish world. Over the years, the Louisiana black drum has gotten no respect. That is, until recently. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
The Olander’s Big D Seafood wholesale and retail business has come a long way from those days.
“In the beginning, we worked as a ‘mom and pop’ operation out of a pickup truck. We had to trailer our boat 25 miles to a Chevron station in Burns Point – all so we could go fish for a product not a lot of people wanted.”
Big D Seafood sits 15 miles south of New Iberia just north of the Intracoastal Canal at the Port of West St. Mary. It has evolved from the pickup truck into a full-service, commercial marina.
“We are right in the middle of all the good fishing,” Olander explained. “We have Vermilion Bay, Atchafalaya Bay and the East and West Cote Blanche Bays – all within easy reach of our boats.”
Black Drum vs. Red Fish
ize is everything for black drum. But unlike shrimp, smaller is better. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
The black drum is a firm fish, almost identical to a red fish in texture and taste.
“You would be surprised about the taste and texture of the black drum. It is almost the same taste as the red fish, and some say, it is even better.”
The black drum lays eggs in the coastal marsh, and can commonly be found within 15 miles of the coast, especially around oyster reefs. This fish is, in fact, a menace to fragile oyster beds.
According to Olander, the yield in oyster leases, where the black drum is fished, is considerably greater. The fish – with its strong jaws and heavy teeth – easily crushes oyster shells, and as a result, lowers harvests.
Black Drum – One Tough Fish
Fishing for black drum is a labor-intensive operation.
Olander and other fishermen use trout lines baited with small pieces of crab claws to hook the fish. These lines have between 75 to 150 hooks – each line baited by hand.
In a year, he will import two or more semi-trucks filled with crab claws from the east coast. “They love to bite into the crab claws, shell and all. They are just one tough fish.”
There are about 300 to 400 black drum fishermen within Louisiana, 50 of which fish year-round.
Louisiana imposes a three-million-pound quota on black drum. To date, that quota has never been reached.
Big D Seafood operates a fleet of three boats, and buys regularly from three to four independent fishermen. A typical catch runs 700 to 800 pounds per boat on an average day.
Size Matters – Small is Better
Black drum is one of the only finfish in Louisiana coastal waters that is fished exclusively by commercial fishermen. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
Size is everything for black drum. But unlike shrimp, smaller is better.
“We sell three sizes of fish,” Olander said. “The most valuable is three to six pounds in size. Fishermen call them “blackie blacks,” but they are also known as ‘puppy drum.’ These are the fish that end up on plates at New Orleans white-cloth restaurants.”
He also sells sorted fish in the seven- to 10-pound category, as well as 10 to 15 pounds. The price he receives drastically decreases the larger the fish. There is approximately a $.60-pound difference between the smallest and the largest size of fish.
Olander is looking closer to home for new opportunities for the fish he has built his business upon.
Olander already is equipped and licensed to sell fresh off the docks. He has a processing room that is permitted to prepare the fish to customer’s specifications.
Black drum is one of the only finfish in Louisiana coastal waters that is fished exclusively by commercial fishermen, and Olander feels marketing needs to be “moved up to the next level.”
“My fish have a great shelf life. The eyes are shiny and the taste superb,” he said. “When we can make this fish easily available, I think there is a lot that can happen.”
Louisiana Seafood Mixed Grill:
Grilled Black Drum, Wild Shrimp and Blue Crab over Sliced Creole Tomatoes, Basil and Grilled Corn Butter
Executive chef Tory McPhail of Commander’s Palace. Photo: Commander’s Palace
A Louisiana Seafood Mixed Grill that included grilled black drum won Executive Chef Tory McPhail of Commander’s Palace the title of 2009 Louisiana Seafood King at the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off, presented by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. McPhail went on to win the Great American Seafood Cook-off with the same recipe.
Commander’s Palace
(504) 899-8221
Garden District
1403 Washington Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70130
www.commanderspalace.com
Serves Four
Louisiana Seafood Mixed Grill that included grilled black drum. Photo: Great American Seafood Cook-off
- 1 pound Black Drum Fillets
- 1/3 pound, 10/12 count White Shrimp – head on, or 4 whole shrimp
- 1/2 pound Jumbo Lump Blue Crab, picked over for shells
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning
- Salt and White Pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Vegetable oil
- 3 ounces Butter
- 1 Shallot, peeled and brunoise
- 4 ears Sweet Corn (you may use three ears and supplement with baby corn if available)
- 2 ounces Jack Daniels
- 2 ounces Cream
- 1 teaspoon fresh Thyme, picked from stem
- Salt and White Pepper, to taste
- 2 large ripe Creole or Heirloom Tomatoes, sliced thinly (you may choose to peel the tomatoes ahead of time)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 ounce Basil leaves, cut in chiffonade
- 1 Lemon
- 1 ounce Basil Oil
- 1/4 ounce Chili Oil
- 1/4 ounce Herbs or Mircosprouts, as garnish
Preheat a gas grill, charcoal grill or grill pan to medium heat.
To prepare the corn: Remove the husk and silk and lightly season with salt and white pepper. Place on the grill and cook on all sides for 5 minutes or until corn is cooked to a light golden brown color. Remove from the grill and place in a medium salad bowl. When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cob using a serrated knife. Using the back of the knife, scrape the corn milk from the cobs into the bowl with the kernels. Discard the cobs.
Place a medium saute pan on the stove over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add one of the three ounces of butter to the pan and swirl. Add the shallots and continue to swirl for 30 seconds. Add the corn and corn milk and season with salt and white pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the head, deglaze with Jack Daniels, return to heat and flambe. When flames subside, add the cream and reduce to sauce consistency. Fold in the jumbo lump blue crab, add the thyme and cook for 1 more minute. Swirl in the last 2 ounces of butter, check the seasoning and set aside to keep warm.
Choose two ripe Creole or heirloom tomatoes for this dish. You may remove the skin if you choose but it’s not necessary. Slice each tomato into 6 even slices, discarding the core and the ends, and shingle them onto a cookie sheet. Season both sides of the tomato with salt and pepper, and fresh lemon juice. Chiffonade the basil leaves and sprinkle across the top of the tomatoes.
Portion the drum into 4 equal pieces, ensuring there is no skin, scales or bones on the fillets. Season on both sides and reserve. Remove the shells from the shrimp, leaving the heads and tails on but exposing the meat in the middle. Using a sharp paring knife, devein and rinse the body of all impurities, then season.
Place the drum and the shrimp on the grill and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on each side or until just cooked. Take extra care to never overcook the seafood.
To finish the dish: Sread out 4 hot entree plates that have been pre-warmed in an oven. To each plate, fan out 3 slices of tomato.
Place one piece of drum on top of that. Add 1 shrimp to the top of the drum. Remove the large pieces of crab from the pan and place it over the top of the shrimp. Spoon the remainder of the sauce over the shrimp and around the outside of the plate. Drizzle on the basil and hot chili oil and garnish the plates with the fresh herbs or micro sprouts.
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