Valentine's Croutons

"My standard restaurant starter was always a perfectly made vichyssoise, that delightful creamy leek and potato soup. My romantic touch was the croutons, carefully placed in the middle of each bowl of soup and they always caused a stir." This recipe may easily be cut down if these are for that romantic dinner for two. If you have a lot of parsely left, sprinkle it over the soup.

• 4 - 6 slices day old white bread see note
• 1/4 cup dried parsley
• Vegetable oil for frying

METHOD

Take slices of day old white bread and using a heart shaped cutter, cut as many shapes from the bread that you need.

Very finely chop parsley. Spread on a pate or put in wide bowl.

Pre-heat deep oil until a cube of bread turns golden within seconds. Always test with cube before putting in croutons. When oil is ready, fry croutons in small batches so you don't lose heat of the oil.

Remove from oil when golden and crisp (golden mind, not brown or black!). Drain BRIEFLY on absorbent kitchen paper. Do not allow croutons to get cold.

Carefully roll edges of each crouton in parsley so that they each have a lovely deep green edging.

Dish hot soup into individual bowls and carefully place a crouton in the middle each dish.

This is especially elegant with vichysoisse: the contrast of the golden bread with its green edging atop the creamy white soup is always a talking point.

Serves: 4

recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Meryl Grebe

 

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