Cookbook:Garlic Croutons I

| Bread | French cuisine | Salads | Soups

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

Ingredients

 * 4 slices day-old French bread, cubed
 * 2 cloves garlic, minced
 * 4 tablespoons olive oil
 * Salt to taste

Procedure

 * 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 °F (~180 °C).
 * 3) Strain the olive oil into a frying pan and fry the bread cubes in it, tossing to coat with oil.
 * 4) Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10 minutes or until crispy and dry.

Notes, tips, and variations

 * 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.