Crisping lettuce

[Kimmu-chan]

My lettuce always is soggy and unsatisfying after I wash it. I don't have a salad spinner, so I am just shaking the leaves out and taking paper towels to them. I read that wrapping the washed leaves in plastic wrap and chilling them for several hours crisps them, but I think that just made it worse. I have tried this with romaine and green leaf. Am I doing this technique wrong or is there a better way to give the lettuce a nice crunch?

 

[Andy M.]

Try soaking the lettuce in ice water for a while before using it.

 

[babetoo]

i would suggest an inexpensive salad spinner. that is the best way. i spin and then put in baggie with paper towels to soak up any left over water. course if i buy the more expensive live lettuce. it is not a problem, i just brush leaves off with a slightly damp paper towel. only the ones for one meal.

i had a friend that used spinner then put in fridg. still in the spinner, her thinking was any water would drain off . however she stored in spinner and i did not want to do that. took way to much space in fridg.

 

[vyapti]

I wash the leaves in ice water, run them through the salad spinner, then toss them together (I usually use green leaf, romain & spinach) with paper towels in my hands. The lettuce will stay good in an air-tight container for upwards to two weeks. I think you can get a salad spinner for 15-20 bucks. It's definitely worth the investment. It'll pay for itself in lettuce-not-thrown-away in no time.