A crouton is not only a little cube of bread you use in salads or for stuffing, but a perfectly toasted slice that makes a wonderful side dish and a sensational way to use stale bread.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
4 thick slices good-quality bread
Salt
Preparation
Step 1
Put the olive oil in a large skillet and turn the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic and cook, turning occasionally, until it is lightly browned.
Step 2
Add the bread slices and cook, turning occasionally and adjusting the heat so they brown nicely. Remove and sprinkle lightly with salt; serve hot or at room temperature.
From Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times by Mark Bittman Copyright (c) 2007 by Mark Bittman Published by Broadway Books.
Mark Bittman is the author of the blockbuster Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
