Sourdough Croutons using Leftover Stale Sourdough Bread

Homemade croutons, like homemade bread, is a thousand times better than storebought. They are also  ito make. 

What you need.

• Sourdough bread that is too old to still want to use in a sandwich, but not too dried out that it cannot be cut. Soft is good.
• Olive oil.
• Garlic.
• Fresh herbs such as thyme, oregano, chives, and parsley.
• Salt.

Cut the bread into cubes.  

Fry them in a heavy pan over medium heat using a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Stir and turn from time to time so the cubes toast on several sides. You do not want to overload the pan because the bread cubes need to touch the pan in order to toast properly

Periodically, add more olive oil as the bread will soak up what you have added previously.

When the cubes have toasted sufficiently, just before you are done, add pressed garlic, chopped herbs, and plenty of salt. Turn off the heat and let the residual heat of the pan gently roast the garlic and herbs.

I always hope to add croutons to my salads, but they are so good right from the pan -- crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, salty, slightly saturated with olive oil, and coated with fresh herbs and garlic -- that anyone walking by will not be able to resist tasting one. And then another.

If there are any left, they can be stored a day or two in a sealed container, but they are really best when they are fresh.