- 8 ounce Bread
(stale bread is much easier to work with; bread
should be coarse, country-style, not too dense: look for lots of holes within
the bread, that kind will make a light crouton)
- 1/4 pound, butter (1/2 cup)
- 1/4 cup, olive oil
- 4 cloves, garlic - peeled and minced
- 6 shallots - peeled and minced
(substitute 1/4 of one large sweet onion)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 teaspoons, dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons, lemon juice
- 1/3 cup, fresh chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
Trim crusts from bread, and cut into one-inch cubes. Melt the butter in a
deep skillet, along with the olive oil, and sauté` the garlic and shallots over
low heat, until soft but not brown. Add salt, pepper and thyme to garlic and
shallots as the mixture is sautéed. Then add lemon juice and chopped parsley,
and blend well, continuing to cook briefly to incorporate flavors.
Remove the mixture from heat, and toss the bread cubes quickly and
thoroughly in the mixture to coat the cubes evenly. Spread the bread cubes on a
sheet pan, and bake at 275 degrees, tossing occasionally, until very crisp and
lightly toasted. Drain finished bread cubes on a paper towel
