Bread Crumbs

When most of us think of bread crumbs we think of the store-bought variety or our own version, made with stale or lightly toasted bread. But French cooks use stale, crunchy bread crumbs only as a layer for a gratin or in some dish—cassoulet comes to mind—in which the bread crumbs provide a needed contrast in texture. For breading sautéed or fried foods, the French use fresh bread crumbs—which they call chapelure—because they absorb less fat and form a more delicate coating. Making your own fresh bread crumbs is easy. Cut the crusts off slices of dense-crumbed white bread—I use Pepperidge Farm sandwich bread—and pulse the slices in a food processor for about 30 seconds. For very fine bread crumbs, which will absorb the least fat and make the most delicate layer of breading, work the crumbs through a large strainer (or better yet, a drum sieve) with your fingers.