1 day Ago By Katherine McPhillips
Nothing is better than a fresh, crisp salad or a hearty sandwich, but it can be frustrating being in the middle of preparing lunch only to discover the lettuce has wilted. Lettuce tends to quickly spoil as it has a high moisture content, which means it can be a magnet for bacteria and mould if it is not stored properly in the fridge. However, Laura Fuentes , a recipe developer with 15 years of experience, has shared that there is a simple way to store leafy salad leaves to keep them fresh for longer, as all you need to do is take a few minutes to wash them properly.
Laura said: “By spending about 10 minutes prepping one head of lettuce ahead of time, it can now be conveniently available to you when you need it. “You’ll use a vinegar & water mixture in a salad spinner to mix and spin in order to wash the lettuce. After spinning, let it soak and then rinse thoroughly.
” Vinegar not only tastes great in a salad, but it also has antibacterial properties, and washing lettuce with a little bit of this solution will remove dirt that could be lurking in the leaves. Cleaning lettuce properly helps prevent bacteria from spoiling lettuce before its time and keeps it fresh for up to one week longer, and do not worry, it will not affect the taste if you wash it properly To begin, pour 240ml of vinegar into a bowl or salad spinner and then fill the rest of the container with cold water. Set a timer for two minutes and then separate the leaves from the head of the lettuce.
Gently submerge the lettuce leaves in the vinegar and water solution and let them soak for exactly two minutes. It is best to only leave the lettuce leaves for a few minutes and not any longer, otherwise you can risk the leaves having a vinegary aftertaste. Once the time is up, immediately remove the leaves from the solution and rinse thoroughly under tap water.
If you have a salad spinner, spin the lettuce leaves dry. If not, place the lettuce leaves in a colander and shake off any excess moisture. Next, place the lettuce leaves on some paper towels or clean tea towels and let them air dry.
Once you are sure they are thoroughly dry, place them in a sandwich bag with a paper towel. A sandwich bag will act as a barrier to protect the lettuce, and a paper towel will absorb any excess moisture, helping it remain fresh. Squeeze out any air in the sandwich bag, place it in the fridge and your lettuce will stay crispy and fresh for a week rather than wilting within a day.
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