Panko Crusted Salmon

Salmon is one of the things that I try to eat once a month…some say I should aim for once a week, but I’m not paying $20 a pound every week.  I’ll get my omega-3’s elsewhere (cheaper).

I usually wait until salmon is on sale at Whole Foods, the wild kind…not farm raised (read more about this here)!  This happens just about every month (I check the sales at the BR Whole Foods each week before I shop, which helps me save money…is that too type-A for you?!?). 

Last week when I checked I found this:

Buy 2lbs of Salmon and get the following free: French baguette, cedar plank (for grilling the salmon on…I passed on this), a bottle of organic lemonade, organic romaine, and green bean and carrot salad. 

Couldn’t pass that up!  I bought the 2 pounds, froze half and turned the rest into panko crusted salmon (I’ve been waiting to make this since Annie posted it in April).

So yummy!  The lemon really stands out!

Panko Crusted Salmon
adapted from Barefoot Contessa via Annie Eats

Makes 4 servings

2/3 cup panko
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley (optional)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 (6-8 ounces) salmon fillets, skin on
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  In a small bowl, combine the panko, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper.  Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and toss with a fork (or fingers!) until the crumbs are evenly coated; set aside.

Place the salmon fillets skin side down on a work surface.  Generously brush the top of each fillet with the mustard and then season with salt and pepper.  Press the panko mixture thickly on top of the mustard on each fillet to help the panko adhere.

Heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet.  When the oil is hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes without turning to brown the skin.  (If you don’t want to eat the skin, this step also helps the skin stick to the pan so the fillets can be easily removed without the skin later on.)

Transfer the pan to the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, until the salmon is almost cooked through and the panko is browned (I broiled mine for the last minute or two to really brown/crisp the panko).  Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let rest 5-10 minutes.  Serve warm with fresh lemon wedges.

Per serving – 353 calories, 7 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat (3.1 g saturated), 38 g protein (exchanges: 3.5 fat, 5.5 protein, 0.5 starch)