Mentaiko Potato Bread
Mentaiko, seasoned pollack roe, is a delicacy in Japan and can be prepared in so many ways. This crispy sprecialty bread is stuffed with fresh Mentaiko, a creamy cheese mixture, chopped potatoes and crunchy laver and can be enjoyed as a snack or as a breakfast starch in place of toast or potatoes.
Mentaiko Potato Bread feature mentaiko, a Japanese delicacy made from pollack roe that has been soaked in seasoned hot sauce. It’s often used in Japan in pasta, as a breakfast protein, served over rice, as a chicken topper, and stuffed into omelettes. The taste is neither fishy nor overpowering, but it can be spicy and has a unique texture. Japanese bakeries often sell mentaiko bread – usually a butter roll, baked together with mentaiko in various ways.
The Japanese word for bread is “pan”. Japanese bakeries (pan-ya) always carry an interesting variety of breads – some are familiar breads such as white bread (Shoku-pan) or raisin bread (Budo-pan), while others are more adventurous such as bread stuffed with red beans (anpan), curry (karepan) or with starches like noodles (yakisoba-pan).
Mentaiko Potato Bread Serving Suggestion This recipe starts with a baguette or a butter roll that’s already been baked. It’s important to bake the bread at a low enough temperature to avoid burning the bread but at a hot enough temperature to cook the mentaiko and cheese mixture so the mentaiko hardens. Be sure to preheat the oven and keep the bread away from the heating element when baking. Additionally, I always close the roll up tightly using toothpicks if necessary to make sure the inside stays soft.
Mentaiko Potato Bread
Mentaiko Potato Bread starts with cooked baguettes and adds cooked potatoes and a mentaiko cream cheese filling. It’s a quick and delicious breakfast bread that is both crispy and savory.
 PREP |  COOKING |  YIELD |
| 15 mins | 20 mins | Serves 4-5 |
| PREP | 15 mins |
| COOKING | 20 mins |
| YIELD | Serves 4-5 |
- 2 Baguettes
- 2 pieces of Mentaiko
- 1/4 cup Japanese Mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup cream cheese
- 1 TBSP Olive Oil
- 1 Potato
- 1/4 cup Shredded Nori (Laver)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degs F/200 degs C
- Blend the mentaiko, cream cheese and mayonnaise using a fork or in a food processor until it forms a fine paste. Set aside.
- Peel and dice the potato into 1/2 cubes.
- Fry the potato in the olive oil over high heat for 3 minutes until the potato is hot throughout.
- Add 1/4 cup of water and cover the pan immediately. Let the potato steam for 2 minutes. Remove the cover and stir until the oil is evaporated. Remove the potatoes from the heat and set aside.
- Slice the bread in half and butterfly it so it lays flat.
- Spread a layer of the mental spread on the bread.
- Spoon the potatoes on the bread near the center from top to bottom.
- Fold the bread back up and hold in place with toothpicks or by pushing it together.
- Spoon the remaining spread over the potatoes.
- Sprinkle nori over the spread.
- Bake in a 400 deg F / 200 deg C oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool until you can hold the bread comfortably.
- Slice each baguette into 5 or 6 pieces and serve.
Notes:
- Here’s a tip… if you are concerned about overcooking your bread, wrap it in foil before putting in the oven.
- The bread can be kept at room temperature for a few hours before eating, but no more. It’s better to prepare the mentaiko cheese and potatoes ahead of time, refrigerate them, and prepare when you are ready to eat.
