crouton
Definition
- Noun:
- A small, crisp piece of bread that has been toasted, fried, or baked until dry and crunchy. Croutons are typically used as a garnish or ingredient in soups and salads to add texture and flavor.
Usage
Croutons are used as a food topping. They are added to dishes just before serving to maintain their crispness. - Primary Use: As an additive to soups (e.g., French onion soup) and salads (e.g., Caesar salad). - Form: They are small, cubed or irregularly shaped pieces of bread.
Examples
- Noun:
- The chef sprinkled garlic croutons over the Caesar salad.
- This tomato soup is delicious with a few homemade croutons on top.
- She prefers her salad without croutons.
Advanced Usage
- "Stale bread crouton": A crouton made specifically from stale or day-old bread, which is ideal for toasting.
- The best croutons are often made from stale bread cubes.
- "Seasoned crouton": A crouton that has been tossed with herbs, spices, cheese, or oil before toasting.
- These rosemary and parmesan seasoned croutons are very flavorful.
Variants and Related Words
- Crouton (verb, rare): The act of making or adding croutons. This usage is very uncommon.
- She croutoned the soup generously. (Informal/rare)
- Breadcrumb (noun): Finely ground pieces of dry bread, used for breading or topping, distinct from the larger, chunkier crouton.
Synonyms
- Toasted bread cube
- Bread crisp (in a culinary context)
Related Phrases/Idioms
No common idioms or phrasal verbs specifically feature the word "crouton." It is primarily a culinary term.
Noun
-
a small piece of toasted or fried bread; served in soup or salads
