Tricks and tips to clean out romaine, etc.?
I am always a little nervous about cleaning the romaine leaves and other such lettuce, as well as spinach. I keep washing and washing. Sometimes I just settle for buying the supermarket salad bar cut-up lettuce and spinach, although it costs a fortune, just b/c I assume they have high-power washers - or anyway, the lettuce and spinach look clean.
Are there any tricks and tips to making sure the lettuce and spinach are clean?
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7 Comments:
I fill a big bowl full of cold water and just soak the whole leaves in there for a little while (while I prepare other things). Any loose dirt on the leaves will sink to the bottom. Then I just take them out and rub with my hands under the running faucet to make sure all the dirt is gone. For spinach I would just do the first step, but agitate it a little in the bowl (the second step is unnecessary). I haven't had a sandy salad yet!
decemberain27 at 11:48AM on 07/22/09
No high-power washers. Just fill a clean bowl or well scrubbed veg prep sink with cold water. Soak the greens, agitate gently with your hands, and let it sit a couple of minutes, have a colander or another bowl handy, and with your hands pull the greens out of the water and place into the waiting colander, after you've pulled all the greens, then and only then do you drain or dump the water--if you do it any other way, you'll transfer the grit right back onto the greens. I generally do this 2 or 3 times. Then I use a salad spinner to dry the greens.
wookie at 12:21PM on 07/22/09
I fill a big pot with water and put the lettuce/spinach in it. Then I gently push it around to rinse it. The sediment will sink to the bottom and the leaves will float to the top. A strainer is good, but a salad spinner is amazing at getting all the water off.
gingercookiewithlime at 6:06PM on 07/22/09
Just a massive bowl of water. Then I water the garden with it to stop me feeling bad about using so much water...
jennywenny at 6:36PM on 07/22/09
Stay away from that recalled California Romaine! Tanimura & Antle Romaine Lettuce. Don't even ATTEMPT to clean it. Salllllmonealla....
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2009/20090722e.shtml
hungrychristel at 10:10AM on 07/23/09
Follow the advice above, but separate the leaves before washing.
CJ McD at 12:16PM on 07/23/09
i agree with the recommendations above... I fill a huge bowl with water and soak them 2-3 times, especially if the lettuces are organic. Go over each leaf because they sometimes have little slugs or insect hidden in little crevices. I also sometimes use a natural vegetable wash.
MadelynRodriguez at 4:08PM on 07/23/09