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January 27, 2015

0Pork tonkatsu! (Plating and photo creds to Chris C.)

Last week, I bought about a million pounds of sliced pork tenderloin from Costco. On top of the usual Costco bulk discount, there was a “manager’s special” which brought the price down an additional ~20%! I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do with twelve huge hunks of pork loin, but there was one thing I did know: pork tonkatsu was definitely on the menu this week!

Tonkatsu is a Japanese food where pieces of meat (usually pork, but I’ve also seen chicken) are breaded and fried. It is key to use panko (bread crumbs), which are Japanese style bread crumbs. They give a delicate and very satisfying crispy crunch. The tonkatsu is usually served with tonkatsu sauce, which totally makes the dish, so be sure to pick some up before making this!

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June 16, 2014

Delicious Panko Crusted Salmon RecipeWe love eating salmon in this house. Good thing, too, because it’s always listed as one of those super healthy foods full of omega-3’s. I still don’t really get what omega-3’s are, but I know they’re good for you, so that’s reason enough for me! If you want to learn more about omega-3’s and everything salmon, check out this article here that is packed with great info!

We enjoy our salmon many ways: raw (sashimi!), seasoned and baked with garlic salt, garlic and lemon, and salt and peppered with garlic, dill, and dabs of butter. Lately, I’ve had a crush on a recipe from Ina: panko-crusted salmon! Mmmm. This one stands out because of the crunchiness. Yes, I love crunchy things. This one is a twofer: you get the crunchiness from the tasty panko topping, and the savory, mouth-watering crunch of pan-fried salmon skin on the bottom.

crunch salmon skin mm

YUM.

I feel so fancy when I make this. I mean, panko, salmon, lemon, parsley, and dijon mustard? Doesn’t that just sound like an amazing combination to you? Yet it’s really easy to prepare. You just brush some mustard onto salmon fillets, top with a panko mixture, pan-fry on one side, then finish it off in the oven. It’s some seriously simple cooking that yields impressively tasty results. Ina’s timing for cooking salmon has always been just right for me, so I would follow the instructions to the minute.

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