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1
Drain the tomatoes in a sieve to remove excess liquid while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
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2
In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, basil, tarragon, salt, and pepper.
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3
Add the croutons and toss well.
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4
Divide tomato mixture among 4 plates.
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5
Top each serving with an equal amount of the arugula.
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6
With a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan over the salad.
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7
Serve immediately.
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8
Michael's Notes: I've used basil and tarragon here, but you can use any herbs you like.
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9
Parsley and marjoram come to mind as good alternatives.
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10
1/4 cup unsalted butter
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11
1 tablespoon minced garlic
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12
6 cups crustless cubed day-old bread (1/2-inch cubes)
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13
Sea salt, preferably gray salt, and freshly ground black pepper
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14
6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
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15
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and preheat a cookie sheet in it.
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16
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until it foams.
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17
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
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18
Add the bread cubes and toss to coat with the butter.
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19
Season with salt and pepper.
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20
Transfer the bread to a baking sheet.
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21
Immediately sprinkle with the cheese and toss again while warm to melt the cheese.
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22
Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 8 or 9 minutes.
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23
Let cool.
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24
Store in an airtight container.
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25
Michael's Notes: I use a serrated knife to remove the crust from day-old bread, then switch to a chef's knife to cut the cubes because it doesn't tear the bread.
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26
Also note that I recommend grating the Parmesan finely so that it will stick to the bread better.
