Queenie Cooks: Homemade Gremolata Breadcrumbs

Let's talk frugality. I'm all for indulgence, especially when it comes to my food budget, but that doesn't mean that one need be wasteful, does it? Celery tops should always find their way into the soup pot, beet greens into your stew and the ends of loaves of bread into your food processor.

It's one of life's great twists, actually, that one of the cheapest things on earth - homemade breadcrumbs - are also one of the tastiest. There's very little out there that gives the richness and texture you get from a freshly toasted batch of breadcrumbs. The Italians, masters of use-it-up cuisine, sprinkle them everywhere, including on top of pasta. What could be more indulgent than that, right?

I'm currently in lust with a recipe I spotted on Food52, which mixes Japanese panko crumbs with lemon zest and parsley to yield a gremolata breadcrumb, the perfect topping, for, well, anything. The recipe pairs the crumbs with roasted cauliflower, but I think they'd be just as luscious on top of buttered pasta, steam broccoli or roasted sprouts. I'm obsessed, to say the least.

Obsessed.

Gremolata Breadcrumbs

Adapted from TheThinChef on Food52

Heels of one loaf of white bread, preferably baguette

1 tbs. olive oil

Zest of one lemon

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tbs. parsley, finely chopped

Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor (large or small) fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse several times until the bread has formed uniform, somewhat fine crumbs.

Heat the olive oil in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast for a few minutes, until they are golden. Add the lemon zest and garlic and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is fragrant and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Remove from the heat to a small bowl and toss with the parsley. Use like mad on everything in sight. The breadcrumbs will keep, tightly covered at room temperature, for a few days.

Makes 1/2 cup or so of breadcrumbs.