Garnish your salads and soups with these croutons or keep them in a bowl and eat them like popcorn.
| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
 Andrew Zimmern | 2018-06-11 20:47:36 |  179,307 Views |
Andrew Zimmern Cooks: Garlic & Herb croutons
Serious Bites / Two Bites
I always know a recipe I’m developing is a success when I see my husband lingering at the counter sneaking bites when he thinks I’m not looking. (This is especially true if I’ve made several versions of the same dish—the winner is always the one my husband keeps coming back to.) In this case it’s garlic herb croutons which I think of as smaller crispier versions of garlic bread. Croutons are a great way to use up any stale bread you might have on hand and they’re easy to make. They add a savory crunch to salads and soups and they’re also delicious as a snack on their own—my husband keeps them in a bowl on his desk and eats them like popcorn.
To infuse the croutons with maximum garlic and woodsy herb flavor I use the same method Kenji uses for his best-ever roasted potatoes: I heat fresh garlic rosemary and thyme in olive oil until the garlic just begins to brown then strain out the solids and use the infused oil to coat the croutons. You get all the flavor of the aromatics without the risk of them burning during the roasting process which can give the croutons an unpleasant bitterness. When the croutons are done I add the garlic and herbs back in and toss to make sure the croutons are evenly coated with the fragrant aromatics.
