BEHOLD THE MIGHTY CROUTON
Upgrade your salad by making your own crispy, flavourful bites
Raise your hand if you think, or have ever thought, that the best part of a salad was the croutons.
Yup, I thought so. Those nubs of toasted bread — crouton is derived from the French word for “little crust” — can be hard to resist.
“They barely make it into the salad bowl if it's a good crouton,” says cookbook author and baking instructor Tara Jensen.
Whether you want to make croutons for snacking, salads or soups, here are some things to keep in mind.
THE BREAD
Almost any kind of bread can be turned into croutons. Jensen is a big fan of sourdough, especially loaves made with some whole wheat, so the bran rehydrates and soaks up more of the oil for optimal flavour and a slight chew.
Hearty white sandwich bread, such as the sliced loaves from the store, is a great option. (Just nothing too thin, please.) You can also go bolder with rye or pumpernickel, though darker breads will require a little more attentiveness because it can be harder to gauge doneness based on colour alone. In Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, and Creative African-american Cuisine, Bryant Terry even makes garlic croutons out of cubes of leftover cornbread.
While there's a lot of built-in flexibility, Jensen suggests avoiding loaves with very open, irregular crumbs, such as ciabatta.
Using older bread will facilitate soaking up the fat and create a crisp texture. Jensen's sweet spot is three-day-old bread.
THE SHAPE
Jensen prefers to tear the bread for croutons by hand. The irregular shape means you'll get contrasting textures — crispy point here, softer bready spot there. Plus, the craggy edges are “just a trap for everything delicious,” Jensen says.
In Salt Fat Acid Heat, Samin Nosrat walks a line between cutting and tearing. She suggests cutting the bread into one-inch (2.5-cm) slices, cutting the slices into one-inch (2.5-cm) strips and then tearing the strips into oneinch (2.5-cm) pieces.
Or make big or small cubes, depending on whether you want them crisp all the way through (small) or with a slightly bready core (large). About half an inch (1 cm) is a good middle ground.
HOW TO FLAVOUR THEM
Fat is crucial for flavour in addition to texture. Extra-virgin olive oil is a go-to, and use something you like because it's such a prominent ingredient. To “help produce super-crunchy and flavourful croutons,” consider butter, especially when cooked in a skillet, Andreas Viestad wrote in The Washington Post in 2010.
Jensen likes to include a splash of balsamic vinegar in the coating for her croutons. Try 1 tbsp (15 ml) vinegar for every half cup (125 ml) oil to add bright, contrasting flavour.
Garlic is classic. You can stir grated cloves into your fat or use crushed cloves to infuse the butter or oil. Or use garlic powder, along with other pantry staples, such as onion powder, dried herbs (parsley, dill, thyme, basil) and freshly ground pepper. Finely grated Parmigiano-reggiano can be stirred into the mixture or grated on top of the crouton. A hit of dried mushroom powder or even MSG for umami? You do you, friend.
Make sure the bread is evenly coated. Really work the mixture in, even massaging it with your hands so it can penetrate and flavour the inside, too.
THE TOASTING METHOD
The oven is an excellent way to toast a big batch of croutons. Aim for 350 to 400 F (175 to 205 C) and expect it to take 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size and type of bread, and preferred level of doneness. Look for the croutons to be crispy and golden, though Jensen looks for a bit of char for a range of flavours and textures.
For smaller amounts, toast croutons in a skillet on the stovetop. If you use butter, Viestad says be sure it's melted in the pan first so it can evenly coat the bread. If you use oil, preheating the pan is key so that the bread starts toasting as soon as it hits the skillet. Harness the flavour of butter and reduce risk of burning by combining it with some oil. Work over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the bread is crisp and golden.
Jensen also grills coated slices of bread and then tears them into pieces after toasting.
STORING
I commend anyone who has the willpower to not eat all the croutons before they are added to the salad (be sure you put them on at the last minute so they don't go soggy). If you can manage it, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Jensen suggests eating them within 3 days, while others extend the window to up to a week. Pop them back into the oven to re-crisp, if desired.