Blue Cheese Croutons Recipes

CROUTON DICE WITH BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
• Trim crusts from loaf, then cut loaf into 1-inch cubes. Put cubes in a large shallow baking pan and drizzle with melted butter, gently tossing to coat. Arrange cubes in 1 layer and bake, turning occasionally, until pale golden and crisp around edges but still soft inside, 12 to 20 minutes. Cool croutons slightly in pan on a rack, then poke a hole three fourths of the way through each cube from top using large end of chopstick, making hole about 1/3 inch in diameter. Press about 1/2 teaspoon cheese into each hole, mounding slightly.
• Just before serving, reheat croutons, cheese side up, in baking pan in a 400°F oven until warm and crisp, about 5 minutes.

CARAMELIZED ONION SOUP WITH BLUE CHEESE CROUTONS

Steps:

• In pot, melt butter over medium heat; add onions, thyme and 1/4 teaspoons each salt and pepper and sauté for 2 minutes or until starting to soften. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring often, for about 20 minutes or until onions are very soft. Uncover and cook, stirring often, for 15 to 20 minutes or until caramelized. Increase heat to medium-high; add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add sherry and bring to a boil, scraping up bits stuck to pot. Add beef stock and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for about 10 minutes or until flavours are blended.
• CROUTONS:.
• Preheat broiler. On a baking sheet, lightly toast both sides of baguette slices. Spread one side with softened blue cheese.
• To serve, stir cream into hot soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into ovenproof soup bowls . Float one crouton in each bowl and broil for about 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

CHEF JOHN'S HOMEMADE CROUTONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
• Stir olive oil and garlic together in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature until flavors are infused, about 3 hours.
• Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Pour garlic oil through a strainer onto the bread; toss to coat bread with oil. Add 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Italian seasoning, paprika, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper; toss to coat. Spread bread cubes out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn croutons and bake 15 minutes more. Push croutons together with a spatula so that they are in a compact rectangle on the baking sheet and no longer spread out; sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over the top. Bake until cheese is melted and the bread is crispy and crunchy, 10 to 15 minutes more.