1. Preheat oven to 200ºC (400ºF). Wash potatoes and wipe dry. Mix 1 T vegetable oil and 1 t olive oil in a small bowl, then brush this mixture over the potatoes, covering completely.
2. Bake the potatoes in oven for 30 minutes, or until skewers can be inserted without resistance.
3. While the potatoes are baking, heat 1 t butter and 1 t vegetable oil in a frying pan and sauté the beef over medium-low heat. When the meat changes color, add onion and sauté until tender. Add soy sauce and pepper, turn off heat.
4. Heat a frying pan and melt 1 T butter to sauté the bread crumbs slowly over low heat, until they turn golden brown. Place on paper towel and set aside.
5. When the potatoes are baked, remove from oven and cut in half. Scoop out the pulp with a spoon to make a 5 mm (0.2 in.) thick shell.
6. Mash the pulp with a potato masher while still hot. Add milk, 1 T butter and a pinch of salt. Add the sautéed beef mixture to the mashed potatoes and mix well. Fill the potato shells with the potato mixture, and sprinkle with the sautéed bread crumbs.
7. Bake the potato boats for 10 to 12 minutes. Adjust time depending on size of the potatoes.
8. Remove from oven and serve the potato boats with cabbage on the side. Drizzle plenty of katsu sauce on the potato boats when eating.

Note: Olive oil or other vegetable oils may be substituted for butter when sautéing; when using a non-stick pan, amounts may be reduced.

* Japanese bread crumbs are large and coarse, with a crunchy texture.

Recipe by Michiko Yamamoto

1 C (U.S. cup) = approx. 240 ml; 1 T = 15 ml; 1 t = 5 ml