Garlic croutons

Garlic croutons can be purchased but are much better when made from old bread. They are a crucial ingredient of Caesar Salad.

Ingredients for Garlic croutons:

• 4 slices day-old French bread, cubed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Makes enough croutons for 4 servings of salad.

Method:

1. Pour the olive oil into a shallow bowl over the garlic and let it soak. Soaking it longer will yield more garlic flavor
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (~180 degrees Celsius).
3. Strain the olive oil into a pan and fry the bread cubes in it, tossing to coat with oil.
4. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and garnish with salt. Bake for 10 minutes or until crispy and dry.

Variants:

• To make non-garlic croutons, simply omit the garlic.
• One may omit the prep work of mincing the garlic by adding the whole cloves of garlic to the oil and then crushing the garlic (either with a mortar or a fork).
• By using very small bread cubes, frying crisp, and omitting the baking, these croutons may be used in place of potatoes.

Source: Cookbook:Garlic croutons