In a perfect world, we would pluck our salad greens fresh from the garden, toss a salad and immediately serve it up crisp and fresh. In our not-so-perfect world, wilting salads are often the norm because we have to buy salad greens days ahead or prepare our salad hours before we actually serve it.
Instructions
1. Soak your salad greens in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain them in a colander and then shake off the excess surface water. Alternatively, spin the greens in a salad spinner if you have one. Pat the leaves dry with paper or cloth towels. This draws away the excess moisture that tends to wilt your vegetable leaves.
2. Wrap the salad greens in dry paper towels and place them in a resealable plastic bag. Squeeze out as much of the air as possible and then seal the bag. Store the bag in your refrigerator's crisper drawer.
3. Use a serrated knife to prepare your greens for your salad or better yet, gently rip the leaves into bite-size pieces. This causes less damage to the plant cells and helps keep the edges from wilting or browning.
4. Place your prepared salad in a bowl before you add any dressing. Completely cover it with water and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
5. Drain the salad just before serving and then toss it with the salad dressing.
6. Place a dampened paper towel over leftover salad and cover with a tight-fitting lid or plastic wrap. Store it in the fridge.
Tags: salad greens, cover with, your salad
