Croutons With Goat Cheese Or Olive-caper Spread

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 lb fresh goat cheese (such as montrachet)
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomato packed in oil, drained and cut julienne
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olive
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces french baguettes, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (1/2 stick)

Recipe

• 1 for cheese spread:.
• 2 preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 3 toss whole garlic cloves with 1 tablespoon oil in heavy small baking dish.
• 4 bake until soft and brown, about 15 minutes;cool slightly.
• 5 slip skins off garlic, transfer to medium bowl and mash to paste.
• 6 mix in goat cheese and tomatoes.
• 7 (can be prepared 4 days ahead; refrigerate, covered. let stand 1 hour at room temperature before serving.).
• 8 for olive spread:.
• 9 puree olives with oil, basil,capers and garlic in processor; transfer to bowl.
• 10 (can be prepared 4 days ahead; refrigerate, covered. let stand 1 hour at room temperature berfore serving.).
• 11 for croutons:.
• 12 preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• 13 arrange bread slices on baking sheet.
• 14 brush both sides with butter.
• 15 bake until crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• 16 (can be prepared 1 day ahead. cool completely and store in sealed plastic bag at room temperature.).