Panko Wasabi Crusted Shrimp

You know, for a while I was really thinking that this panko stuff might have been all hype.  The culinary community has seen its share of hit-and-run fad foods…you know what I’m talking about.  If it’s not gnocchi showing up on every Spotted Pig-wannabe-gastropub’s menu, it’s a rash of clone-ish New York frozen yogurt shops reproducing faster than you can say Afro-Latino-Asian fusion.  Not that there’s anything wrong with gnocchi or frozen yogurt (and definitely not with The Spotted Pig); it’s just that after you’ve eaten your eightieth chipotle-soaked, creme fraiche topped cliche, you pretty much never wanna see the stuff again.  While I can’t say that panko isn’t next in line to be forgotten as quickly as it was hyped up, I can now claim to be a real fan of its uncommonly crunchy texture and extreme versatility.

For those of you who might be unfamiliar with panko, think Japanese breadcrumbs.  According to the good people at Ian’s Natural Foods…

“panko” means child of bread; it’s lighter and crisper than your typical breadcrumbs, and it absorbs less fat, too.  You may have unwittingly tried them at a Japanese restaurant, as many roll their tempura in panko before frying. 

A random visit to another food blog, The Missing Ingredient, reminded me that I’d been meaning to try panko at home.  The author of this blog adapted a Food and Wine recipe to make Panko-Crusted Chicken with Mustard Sauce.  Because I’m a bit over chicken this week, and wasn’t in a mustard state of mind, I used the recipe as inspiration to do my own thing.  I ended up dipping the shrimp (peeled, but with the tails on), into a thin wasabi-soy mixture that I devised, rolling it in the panko, and then baking it for 15 minutes.  Tah-dah-easy as anything, no frying involved, though the panko does render a pleasant “fried” texture to foods once they’re baked.  A bite into the shrimp yields a crispy, delicious crunch, which then gives way to the delicate heat of the firm, wasabi-infused shrimp flesh.  I served this with a ginger-infused tamari sauce for dipping, mixed salad greens, and steamed brown jasmine rice. 

Having officially popped my panko cherry, my thoughts now, naturally, turn to my next high.  Will i top a casserole with it?  Roll lightly-oiled chunks of vegetables in it before roasting?  Sprinkle it on a salad?  Sprinkle it on a baby?   How about you, gentle readers?  Any other (food) uses for my bag of panko?  I’ll put my money where my mouth is: the person who comments on this post by Sunday, November 30, with the best original recipe idea using panko crumbs will win a free bag! 

I’m not going to say that panko won’t soon fade into obscurity once again, or that it will revolutionize the way you cook, or anything pretentious like that.  But if you’re brave enough to try it, you may just make it a staple in your kitchen, and you might even go so far as to keep it around after falls out of favor with the foodie elite.  What matters isn’t whether you like it or not, though; it’s about thinking-and cooking-for yourself.  There’s no glory in being a yes-man and nodding blindly in front of your tv set while the Food Network tells you what Mario Batali likes to do with his cutlets (drag them through copious amounts of flour and oil) or how Rachael Ray feels about her latest chili recipe (she thinks it’s yumm-o).  But give the food powers that be a skeptical audience, try their advice for yourself, and when you like it because you like it, and not because they do, let yourself feel a swell of culinary pride.

And if you don’t like it, you know where you can send the leftover panko.  

Panko Wasabi Crusted Shrimp

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. shrimp, deveined and rinsed, tails left on
1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 Tablespoon wasabi paste (I prepare mine fresh from powder for the highest potency)
1 Teaspoon rice vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 cups panko crumbs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, tamari, wasabi paste, rice vinegar, olive oil, and enough pepper to taste. Toss the shrimp with the sauce and set it aside for 10-15 minutes to let the flavors soak in.

Pour a third of the panko into a shallow bowl (to avoid waste, continue to replenish your panko in small amounts). Pick each shrimp up out of the sauce by its tail and drag it through the panko, using your fingers to pat as many crumbs onto it as possible. Gently lay it on the cookie sheet and repeat with the remaining shrimp.

Put the shrimp into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the tails turn bright pink and the crumbs develop a golden color. If desired, whisk some tamari or soy sauce with some dried ginger for dipping. Enjoy! Makes about 2 servings.