A Second Course

What to do with that leftover bread? Make croutons! Its so simple that in just 10 minutes and a few ingredients you will have a bowl of these delicious little nuggets. Take leftover drying out bread, trim the crust and cut into uniform medium dice (1/2″x 1/2″) to promote even cooking. Heat up some clarified butter (preferably for flavor) or oil and coat the bottom of the pan generously. Fry until golden brown, drain and season. You want to make sure the oil is hot enough to brown the breadcrumbs, but not too hot that they burn. I would recommend testing a few pieces before putting the entire batch in your saute pan. Crispy, buttery and delicious these croutons make a beautiful garnish for soups or tossed in a caesar salad.  It really is this simple:

Split Pea Soup with Crouton Garnish