This recipe from the June 2014 issue of Canadian Living can be made in less than 30 minutes. Simply spread a mixture of yogurt, mayonnaise, onion and cilantro on salmon fillets, pat panko crumbs on top, and bake. The salmon stays incredibly moist, while the panko adds a satisfying crunch. Paired with a curried yogurt sauce, this would be great for a casual dinner party. One note – depending on the thickness of the salmon, the baking time may be closer to 15-20 minutes.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use all-natural yogurt and mayonnaise, and butter that contains only cream. Check the label on the panko and the curry powder to make sure they do not contain preservatives, colour or anti-caking agents. If you would like to make your own curry powder, I’ve included a recipe below. I used ShaSha brand breadcrumbs, which are similar to panko in texture but are made from spelt and are all-natural.

Salmon, spread and panko

Spread the yogurt-mayo mixture on the salmon

Top with the panko and bake until the salmon is cooked through

Panko-crusted salmon with curried yogurt sauce

Ingredients:

2 tbsp 2% plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp light mayonnaise

2 green onions, chopped

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

4 skinless salmon fillets (about 680 g total)

Pinch each salt and pepper

½ cup panko crumbs

2 tbsp butter, melted

Curried Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp liquid honey

1 tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp curry powder (to make your own, see recipe below)

Pinch each salt and pepper

Curry powder

2 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp crushed or ground fenugreek seed

1 tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp crushed dried dill

¼ tsp ground mace

¼ tsp ground cardamom

¼ tsp dried mustard

1/8 tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Mix ingredients together.

Preparation:

In bowl, stir together yogurt, mayonnaise, green onions and cilantro. Arrange salmon on lightly greased foil-lined baking sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread yogurt mixture evenly over top of fillets.

Combine panko and butter; sprinkle on top of yogurt mixture, pressing lightly to adhere.

Bake in 425F (220C) oven until fish flakes easily with fork and panko is golden, about 10 minutes.

Curried Yogurt Sauce: Meanwhile, in bowl, stir together yogurt, cilantro, ginger, honey, lemon juice, 1 tsp of water, curry powder, salt and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days). Serve with salmon. Serves 4.

From the June 2014 issue of Canadian Living