What is panko and how is it prepared?

Panko [pahn-koh] crumbs are a coarse, flaky Japanese breadcrumb, and they make an unbelievably crispy-crunchy -- yet light -- coating for just about any food you want to fry or bake. If you’ve ever ordered tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) in a Japanese restaurant, you’ve had panko.

Basic panko breading: Pour 1 cup panko crumbs into a bowl or onto a rimmed plate large enough to fit the pieces of food you’re coating. Pour 1/2 cup flour into a separate bowl. Season flour heavily with about 1-2 teaspoons each of salt and pepper (or cayenne). In a separate bowl, whisk 1 egg. Dredge the piece of food in the flour, then dip it into the egg wash, moistening all sides. Dredge the food in the panko crumbs, coating all sides.

Panko makes an excellent coating for salmon filets or as casserole topping, like the one in this Shrimp and Broccoli Gratin. You can substitute panko in just about any recipe that calls for breadcrumbs or cornflakes as a coating. These panko-coated Mac ‘n Cheese Croquettes are so wrong, they’re right.

And if you’re the kind of eater who would drive an hour out of your way for a good onion ring (like those “loafs” at dive-y bbq joints), these crispy “oven-fried” onion rings will make you cry twice -- once while you’re chopping, once while you’re chewing.

"Oven-fried” Onion Rings

Ingredients
1 Tbl. vegetable oil
2 large yellow or white onions
2 Tbl. all-purpose flour
3/4 cup panko
2 qt.-size zip-top bags
1 tsp. seasoned salt
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 eggs, whites separated (reserve the yolks for another use)
2 Tbl. milk
1 Tbl. cornstarch
2 baking sheet pans

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a thin coat of vegetable oil on the baking sheets and set aside.

Slice onions 1/4- to 1/2-inch think and separate the rings. Place flour and panko crumbs in two separate zip-top bags. Pour salt and cayenne into the bag with the panko, close the bag, and shake to blend.

In a shallow bowl, combine egg whites, milk, and cornstarch. Place the onion rings into the flour bag and shake. Remove the rings from the bag and dip them into the egg mixture. Remove the rings from the egg mixture and shake them in the bag filled with panko crumbs. Place rings on baking sheets and bake for 10-15 minutes; turn and bake again until onion rings are crisp.

-- Colleen Rush

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