By End of school year. Colette finishing sophomore year. Rémy finishing seventh grade. The summer stretching ahead. And for the first time in the history of this blog, I'm going to take a vacation. A real vacation. Not a fishing trip to Cocodrie (those are pilgrimages, not vacations). A VACATION. Danielle booked it: a week in Destin, Florida. Beach. Sun. Sand. The Gulf from the other side. No cooking. (I will cook. Danielle knows I will cook. The "no cooking" is her optimism speaking. My realism says: I will find a kitchen and I will use it.)
Made a "last meal before vacation" feast: fried catfish, hush puppies, coleslaw, French fries. The full fish fry. The farewell to the kitchen that I'll be away from for seven days, which is the longest I've gone without cooking since COVID lockdown week one, and that was involuntary. This is voluntary. This is me choosing to step away from the stove and trust that the stove will be here when I get back. It will. The stove is more reliable than I am. The stove doesn't need vacations. The stove just stands there and waits, hot and ready, the way a good stove should, the way Joey always was.
The full fish fry was the right call for a farewell — catfish, hush puppies, the works — but if you want that same soul-satisfying fish-for-dinner feeling on any given Tuesday without firing up a pot of oil, this Baked Parmesan Perch is the recipe I reach for. It’s got the golden crust, the flaky interior, the “yes, this counts as a real meal” energy, and it comes together while the coleslaw is still chilling in the fridge. Perch is mild and forgiving, the parmesan does the heavy lifting on flavor, and honestly it’s the kind of dish that makes the stove glad you came back from vacation.
Baked Parmesan Perch
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs perch fillets, patted dry
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 lemon, sliced, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly grease it with cooking spray or a thin layer of the melted butter.
- Make the crust. In a shallow bowl, combine Parmesan, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Coat the fillets. Brush each perch fillet on both sides with melted butter, then press firmly into the Parmesan breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides. Place coated fillets in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake. Bake for 18–20 minutes, until the crust is golden and the fish flakes easily with a fork at its thickest point. Do not flip — the bottom will crisp against the hot pan.
- Serve. Transfer fillets carefully to plates and serve immediately with lemon slices and your choice of coleslaw, French fries, or a simple green salad on the side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 290 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 7g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 420mg