Croutons are a great salad addition: as well as providing a delicious crunch, they’re also a good way to use up leftover bread. Simply slice or dice leftover stale bread (it’ll be easier to slice if more than 2 days old) and toss or brush with enough oil to lightly coat. For sliced croutons, it’s easier to lay them on a baking sheet and then either drizzle or brush the oil over them. Don’t pile them on top of each other or they won’t cook evenly. Bake in the oven at 160°C (325°F/Gas mark 3) and cook until golden. Alternatively, you can fry small diced croutons but they will absorb more oil. One of the nicest breads to make croutons from is Irish soda bread: the flavour and texture is lovely. Heavy, brown seed breads can sometimes produce very hard, teeth-shattering croutons. If that’s the only bread you have, slice it wafer thin rather than into cubes.