- 4 (3/4- to 1-inch-thick) skinless white-fleshed fish fillets, such as Pacific cod or halibut (6 oz each)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi paste (from a tube)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 to 1 1/4 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
- 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped)
- 8 oz shredded red cabbage (4 cups; from a 10-oz package)
- Accompaniment: pickled ginger (sushi ginger)
- Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Line a shallow baking pan with foil.
- Pat fillets dry, then arrange in baking pan. Sprinkle salt all over fillets. Stir together wasabi paste and mayonnaise in a bowl, then spread tops of fillets with half of mayonnaise and sprinkle with half of panko. Turn fillets over and spread with remaining mayonnaise, then sprinkle with remaining crumbs.
- Bake until fish is just cooked through, 12 to 16 minutes, then broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until crumbs on top are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir together vinegar, sugar, mustard, and salt in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. Halve cucumber lengthwise, then thinly slice. Add to dressing along with cabbage and stir to coat. Serve slaw alongside fish.