Although we are fans of Crouton Soldiers, ‘normal’ croutons can be used to great effect to bring ‘le crunch’ to any liquid dish.

For the Croutons

1 slice of bread/person
Light olive oil

You’ll need

Kitchen paper
Teflon non-stick cooking mat
Baking tray

Making the Croutons

Carefully cut the sliced bread into 1.5cm squares. Tip: Leave the bread on a plate overnight to dry out and start to go stale. Makes it easier to work with.

Put the squares in a bowl and gently sprinkle some light olive oil on them. With your hand, mix it all about without damaging the bread. Add another sprinkling until all of them have absorbed some oil and are lightly basted.

Remove the squares from the bowl and place them on a Teflon non-stick cooking mat on a baking tray and add one last sprinkling of oil. Make sure none of the squares are touching one another.

Place the tray in a pre-heated oven at 170 degrees for 10 minutes or so, removing them when they are golden brown. Tip: be careful with the timing – they can quickly over cook.

When they’re done, lift them out and pour them on some kitchen paper to absorb any surplus oil before placing them on a separate dish.

They should be crunchy and gorgeous and not taste of olive oil (that’s why you use a light olive oil).

Use them as soon as poss. They tend to pick up the dampness in the air and go soggy.

Piers and Lin
From the Galley of
Play d’eau

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