Secret to Breadcrumbs?

[kjonyou]

My fav eating establishment doses something to their breadcrumbs I just can’t seem to replicate. I was wondering if any of you have some suggestions. Here is my rough recipe.

1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 cup grated parm
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Heat oil and butter in a sauté pan. Combine all of the ingredients except for the Parm in a small bowl and sauté in the pan until light golden brown. Cool and mix with fresh grated Parm.

FYI the restaurant that I like does not use them as a thick coating, but rather a sprinkle of flavor and texture.

Any suggestion to push this over the top for flavor?

[cocktailhour]

I would use real bread, ground in a food processor or grated by hand. not commercial sliced loaf, but something artisanal.

[Bada Bing]

If what you're after is something to match the restaurant's approach, we might do better by your query if you said what they put this onto. Of special importance would be whether the crumbs are cooked on top of the item or, instead, sprinkled as a finishing garnish.

Looking at your recipe's flavor profile, which already looks good, I do wonder if smoked paprika (or other varieties of paprika) might be a good next step with many European entrees. Toasted and ground cumin and/or coriander seed might work well for entrees drawing from Latin, South Asian, or Middle Eastern influences. I could also see trying allspice and coriander (vaguely African/Carribean).

Herbs and even a dash of lemon juice could also give useful accenting.

How bad could any of that be? Short of them going soggy, it's hard to imagine unwelcome bread crumbs!

[kjonyou]

Thanks those are some good suggestions.

I am also wondering if my method is good or not. I have come to realize Panko just dosent do as well as a topping unless its browned first.

Wondering what other people do. For example, adding garlic to flavor the oil before cooking or do people just use powder?

[runwestierun]

For greater garlic flavor don't use panko, use thinly sliced bread. Brush LIGHTLY with olive oil and grill or bake until browned and crisp. Cut a bulb of garlic in half and rub it over the raspy browned surfaces of the pieces of bread, both sides. Then blitz bread in the food processor. At this point you can add other seasonings

I know exactly how much garlic flavor I like in mine. I grill the bread and then I take one large clove of garlic and I rub it only 3 times across one side of each piece of bread. You can adjust it according to your tastes. Also, I like them pretty salty.

[Bada Bing]

I agree that, while panko has many virtues, it is too crisp and flakey if you mean to incorporate a serious seasoning and fat profile into the crumbs: go for regular crumbs, preferably homemade, as runwest and cocktail recommend.

[Tripeler]

Perhaps 1/2 teaspoon of Sansho, a type of Japanese pepper?