Croutons

Background: I always have about a half a loaf of bread on my counter that’s about to go bad. Usually it’s sandwich loaf of sourdough. Usually going bad means getting moldy. Here’s what I do:

1. Unwrap the bread and save the plastic wrap to recycle at the grocery store.
2. If it’s just a slice or two or three, put the slices whole in the back of the fridge where it will dry out without molding. If you have a half a loaf or more, cube it and chill it on a sheet tray.
3. When you have enough for a good batch, or want to reclaim the fridge space, break it into irregular pieces with your hands, or, if cubed on a sheet tray, move to the next step.
4. On a sheet tray or foil or foil on a sheet tray, toss with grapeseed oil and kosher salt.
5. Bake at 350 until the perfect golden brown color, about 15 to 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it. Ovens vary.

Why It Works:

1. Leaving bread in plastic wrap will speed up the molding process by trapping moisture inside.
2. Putting bread in the fridge will actually hasten the process of staling by changing the structure of the starch molecules. This change results in the bread being less able to hold onto moisture, which is what you want in a crouton.
3. I like the rustic quality of hand-broken bread croutons, but I also appreciate a nice uniform batch of croutons. I let the shape of the croutons I have dictate the style of soup or salad I make with them.
4. Any oil will work. Any salt will work. Seasonings are welcome, but leave off the herbs.
5. The perfect golden brown color is subjective, but burnt tends to be more defined. You want it not burnt. And not too toasted. And not just stale bread.

Mods:

1. Play with different types of breads. Heartier nuttier seedier whole wheatier breads will yield a different result, but they also might inspire a different kind of soup or salad. The healthier the bread, the thinner the croutons should be. With a really cunchy granola hippie bread, I would go with sheets instead of cubes.
2. Try different seasonings, but keep in mind that garlic and dried leafy herbs will burn. If you want certain flavors in the croutons, look for those flavors in the bread.
3. You can add hard cheeses like parmesan, asiago, and manchego just before you bake them to form a latticework of cheesy croutons.