MUSTARD CROUTONS

• stale, chewy, peasant-style bread, most of the crust removed*
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1.5 tablespoon dry white wine or dry white vermouth (I used the vermouth)
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar
• freshly ground black pepper
• kosher salt to taste

* Recipe suggests 2.5 oz, but I think you’ll need a little more. I weighed my 2.5 cups of crustless cubed bread, and it weighed more like 7 oz. I know all breads are different, and mine likely is a little denser than what Zuni was using. Also, I used more like 3 cups of cubed bread.

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Tear the bread into small, fluffy wads, about 3/4 inch and smaller. Tear a few of the wads into crumbs. You should get 2 to 3 cups.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan or skillet, then remove from heat and whisk in the mustard, wine, seeds, and lots of black pepper. The mixture should be the texture of a thick vinaigrette. Add the bread and toss well to coat. (I did this in a large bowl, but if your saucepan is large enough to hold all the cubes, just go ahead and add the bread directly to the pot.) Rub the bits of bread against the sides of the pan to grab all the dressing, then massage them gently to make sure the dressing reaches the inside of the wads. (I didn’t really do all of this — just gave them a nice toss, but feel free to massage as you wish.) Taste for salt. (I didn’t add any more salt.)
4. Spread the bits of bread out on a sheet pan and toast for 5 to 10 minutes (or longer), until unevenly golden on the outside but still slightly chewy in the middle. The smaller crumbs will be crisp through. Toss into a salad, or if adding to an omelet, keep the croutons in a warm spot.