We've devised many clever and inventive ways for keeping our salad greens fresh from Monday to Friday, all with varying degrees of success. But this method from Dorie Greenspan might just take the cake.
Dorie prefers to keep her washed and dried greens in a plastic bag, but here's the twist: before sealing it up, she blows a little puff of air into the bag. She says that the carbon dioxide from your breath will keep the greens green all week long!
Dorie has never steered us wrong in the past, and this tip comes from her latest book Around My French Table. We're very curious to give it a try.
Do any of you use this method for keeping your greens fresh? What else have you tried?
• Find It! Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan ($26 from Amazon)
Related: Food Science: Why Salad Greens Wilt
(Images: Dorie Greenspan via Amazon.com and Salad Greens from Elizabeth Passarella)
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This method has never failed me: I wash and then air dry them in a colander for a few hours after which I spin them dry in my salad spinner and then wrap them up in paper towels. I either stick those in a plastic bag or in my tupperware fridge saver containers. Sometimes I may have to switch out the paper towels with a fresh one mid-week but not always. This works for me every time.
I use a salad spinner and a paper towel or two, as well. But I learned the key to washing greens, or any produce: Put them in a bowl and cover with water. Swish the contents around for a few seconds. Then let it sit for about 5 minutes. Then gently lift the contents out and toss into a colander. This way, all the sediment and junk falls to the bottom!
we use the paper-towel roll-up trick, too. it works like a charm.
I wash mine, spin them in my spinner and leave a little water in the bottom. That way, they get some air, and the small amount of water keeps them moist. Hasn't failed me yet.
ditto on rosebud's method. even without the washing. i would add the following step: suck out the air in the bag until the plastic is clinging tightly to the veggies/herbs. then seal. stuff can last for days and days and days like this and still stay fresh.
Debbie Meyer green bags work like a charm. I was a skeptic until I got some and they are just SO AWESOME for keeping produce fresh.
at restaurants, you line a plastic container with towels. At home, wash, spin dry, and LOOSELY lay in a paper towel lined container, cover with a paper towel, top, and refrigerate for almost 2 weeks. Also do this for herbs-you'll be amazed.
I do pretty much the same thing. I wash the greens, spin dry, then if I have time I air dry on paper towels for an hour or two. Then I roll up the paper towels, stick in a zipper bag, and squeeze out as much air as possible. Then I blow into it and seal. They really do last longer this way!
The only method that works beautifully and consistently for me is this: Rinse the greens and spin them dry. Place them into a clean, dry bowl and cover with a damp paper towel. Then loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If the towel dries out partway through the week, re-wet it.
One time when I picked up some fresh greens from the farmer's market, the guy did this. At the time I thought it was gross, but those greens stayed fresh in the fridge all week!