4 Easy Steps to Washing Salad Greens

Moisture and grit are a salad’s “no-no”.  While moisture will dilute the dressing, making the salad tasteless and soggy, water will also repel the dressing from the leaves. So wash lettuce well ahead (several hours before serving is ideal) so it has enough time to fully dry.  Here’s how:

1. Fill a big bowl with cold water. Submerge the salad greens in the water and gently swish it around with your hands to release any dirt. Handle your greens gently to avoid wilting and bruising them.
2. Lift the greens out of the water and transfer them to a colander or salad spinner.  If you’re using a colander, give it a few shakes and let the lettuce drain a bit. If you’re using a spinner, fill it only halfway. If you overfill it, the lettuce leaves will get crushed and won’t dry. Empty the water between spins.
3. Place the greens in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Roll the towel up loosely and place it in a paper bag or a container with a lid.
4. Place the lettuce in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator to keep it crisp and cool. Make sure the fridge temperature is not too cold, or the leaves will freeze and become limp and translucent.

Source Material from Jill Santopietro of chow.com