A
crouton is a small piece of sautéed or rebaked
breadBread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and possibly more ingredients. Doughs are usually baked in the Western world , but in some cuisines breads are steamed, fried, or baked on a hot skillet. It may be leavened or unleavened...
, often cubed and seasoned, that is used to add texture and flavor to
saladSalad is any of a wide variety of dishes including: green salads; vegetable salads; salads of pasta, legumes, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads. They include a mixture of cold or hot foods, often including raw vegetables and/or fruits.Green salads...
s, notably the
Caesar saladA Caesar salad has romaine lettuce and croutons dressed with parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper. It may be prepared tableside.-History:...
, as an accompaniment to
soupSoup is a food that is made by combining ingredients, such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids until the flavor is extracted, forming a broth....
s, or eaten as a
snack foodA snack food is seen in Western culture as a type of food not meant to be eaten as a main meal of the day – breakfast, lunch, or dinner – but one rather that is intended to assuage a person's hunger between these meals, providing a brief supply of energy for the body...
. The word crouton is derived from the French
croûton, itself derived from
croûte, meaning "crust".
Making croutons is relatively simple. Typically the cook cuts bread into small cubes, coats them in oil or butter (which may be seasoned or flavored for variety), and then bakes them.
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A
crouton is a small piece of sautéed or rebaked
breadBread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and possibly more ingredients. Doughs are usually baked in the Western world , but in some cuisines breads are steamed, fried, or baked on a hot skillet. It may be leavened or unleavened...
, often cubed and seasoned, that is used to add texture and flavor to
saladSalad is any of a wide variety of dishes including: green salads; vegetable salads; salads of pasta, legumes, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads. They include a mixture of cold or hot foods, often including raw vegetables and/or fruits.Green salads...
s, notably the
Caesar saladA Caesar salad has romaine lettuce and croutons dressed with parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper. It may be prepared tableside.-History:...
, as an accompaniment to
soupSoup is a food that is made by combining ingredients, such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids until the flavor is extracted, forming a broth....
s, or eaten as a
snack foodA snack food is seen in Western culture as a type of food not meant to be eaten as a main meal of the day – breakfast, lunch, or dinner – but one rather that is intended to assuage a person's hunger between these meals, providing a brief supply of energy for the body...
. The word crouton is derived from the French
croûton, itself derived from
croûte, meaning "crust".
Making croutons is relatively simple. Typically the cook cuts bread into small cubes, coats them in oil or butter (which may be seasoned or flavored for variety), and then bakes them. Alternatively, they may be fried lightly in
butterButter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications such as baking, sauce making, and frying...
or vegetable oil, until crisp and as brown as desired to give them a buttery flavor and crunchy texture.
Nearly any type of unsweetened bread, in a loaf or pre-sliced, with or without crust, may be used to make croutons. Dry or stale leftover bread is usually used in lieu of fresh bread. Once prepared, the croutons will remain fresh far longer than the bread.
A dish prepared
à la Grenobloise (in the
GrenobleGrenoble is a city in south-eastern France situated at the foot of the French Alps where the Drac joins the Isère River. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère. The proximity of the mountains make the city named "Capital of Alps."The history of the...
manner) has a garnish of small croutons along with brown butter, capers,
parsleyParsley is a bright green biennial herb, often used as spice. It is common in Middle Eastern, European, and American cooking...
, and
lemonThe lemon is a small evergreen tree originally native to Asia, and is also the name of the tree's oval yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and nonculinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
.
Croutons are often used to make
stuffingIn cooking, stuffing or dressing is a substance used to fill a cavity in another food item. Many foods are stuffed, including meats, vegetables, and fruits.-History:It is not known when stuffings were first used...
.
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