Name: Croutons
Prep time: 4 min
Cook time: 6 min
Ingredients: 4 thick slices of bread – white or brown or sour dough; 4 tablespoons oil e.g. vegetable, olive, rapeseed, ground nut; ⅛ teaspoon sea salt; ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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Crispy, crunchy, little chunks of bread add texture and flavour to soups and a selection of salads such as Panzanella, Caesar Salad or try with hot smoked salmon, rocket and poached eggs. Use your imagination.

Classic croutons are simply little chunks of bread tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper and baked until crispy. There are many ways they can be enhanced and made more exciting to complement the soup or salad they are being served with, but equally, sometimes a classic crouton is just the ticket.

This recipe is a great way of using up odd bits of stale bread and any type of bread can be used. Simply cube the bread, toss in oil and seasoning and cook until crispy. They store well in a sealed container, are quick to make – prepared and cooked in under 10 minutes – and are heads and shoulders better than any store bought croutons.

**Croutons served on Cream of Roast Butternut Squash with Ginger and Chilli**

Deliciously tasty served in their basic form, it is easy to add flavours and further textures to this classic recipe.

Suggested additions for which I shall be posting recipes:

cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
red or green chillis, stem and seeds removed and finely chopped
fillets of anchovies, finely chopped
grated cheese e.g. parmesan, cheddar, gruyere, feta, goat’s cheese
sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme
pumpkin, sunflower and/or sesame seeds
chopped nuts

To serve:

2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, coriander, basil, mint

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Croutons

Course Dinner, Lunch, Supper

Keyword croutons, salads, soup

Prep Time 4 minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes

Servings 8

Author Susan

Ingredients

4 thick slices of bread – white or brown or sour dough
4 tablespoons oil e.g. vegetable, olive, rapeseed, ground nut
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to Fan Oven 160°C/180°C/350°F/Gas 4
Slice the crusts off the slices of bread and cut or tear the bread into 1½ cms – 2 cms cubes.
Put the oil, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl, add the bread and toss really well ensuring that all the cubed bread is covered in oil
Tip out onto a baking tray making sure they are spread out well and the pan is not overcrowded.
Cook in the centre of the oven for 5 minutes and remove from the oven. Stir the bread well and put back in the oven for a further 3 – 5 minutes or until golden and crisp.
NB If adding extra ingredients, add during the last 2 -4 minutes of cooking.