Panko Crusted Salmon

Today, dear readers, you bear witness to one of my proudest culinary moments: how I was able to introduce salmon into our home. Until recently, Ariel was not much of a fish eater. I have  been experimenting with cooking various kinds of fish, and many have met her approval. Catfish, tuna, and the delightfully named swai (a sort of Vietnamese catfish, a steal at $3.99 a pound) have become dinner staples. Yet one remained off limits, the elusive salmon.

My first attempt, grilled, met a lukewarm response, but it was this panko breaded fillet that sealed the deal. So, anyone trying to convince a friend or loved one to see the fishy light, give this a try. This recipe is easily adapted to many other fish. It can also be done with steaks as opposed to fillets. I used this technique recently for albacore tuna steaks, and it turned out great. Credit goes to Serious Eats' Food Lab for the original inspiration for the dish.

Ingredients

• Salmon fillets
• Salt and pepper
• Flour
• 1 egg
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil

Instructions

Begin heating vegetable oil in a frying pan, about halfway between medium and medium high heat. Use just enough to cover the bottom of the pan.

Cut the salmon into serving portions. Salt and pepper each side. On skinless fillets, we can identify the "skin side" of the fillets by the grayish strip that runs down the center. I bread this side because it tends to be more uniformly flat. You can bread the other side, but the coating may not brown as evenly.

Beat the egg in a bowl. Dredge the skin side of the fillets in flour, dip in egg, and press firmly into the panko. Make sure the skin side is well coated.

Once the oil is hot, carefully place the fillets in the pan, breaded side down. Cook for about 2 minutes, turn over, and cook for 2 more minutes. The breading should be well browned. If the fillets are relatively thick, you may want to cover the pan for part of the cooking. Serve with a wedge of lemon.