How to Clean Greens

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Clean the sink thoroughly inside and around the edges

   It doesn't have to be sterile, just washed down so there aren't any food remnants or other contaminants.
   
   The larger the sink, the better.
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   Step 2: making sure not to leave any soap residue behind.

   , This usually cores the head in one or two blows.
   
   Then you may pull greens apart (so that nothing remains between leaves that are stuck together) and put them in the sink.
   
   For smaller baby greens the stem can usually be pinched away with a thumb and forefinger.
   
   To remove tough stems from greens, fold the greens in half along the stem line with one hand clasping close to the stem.
   
   With the other hand rip away the stem from the base toward the tip of the leaf.
   
   Discard the heart (unless you plan to use the heart for a dish) and any tough stems. ,, Each leaf should be submerged and moved around. ,, If you pull a leaf out of the water and it still seems dirty, swish it around in the water gently or, if you have a double sink, run it under the tap in the other sink.
   
   Try not to stir the water (and dirt) up too much. , If you place the colander in the sink, make sure you have drained the sink fully and rinsed away any remnants.
   
   To remove excess water from greens, place the greens in the center of a large piece of cotton muslin (36' x 36').
   
   Gather up the four corners and four edges of the muslin and grasp firmly.
   
   Go outside (or in a shower stall) and swing your arm around in a big circle.
   
   The water will spin away from this centrifuge action.
   
   Then while you prepare the rest of your meal you can open up the muslin and place the greens on a surface somewhere cool and dry, so the greens dry off even further.
   
   You can also use a salad spinner, but muslin is much easier to store and less expensive.
   
   Dry greens make the best salads
   -- the salad dressing is not diluted by rinse water, and the leaves are less prone to rot when the salad is stored.
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   Step 3: Stop up the sink

4. 4

   Step 4: but don't fill it with water just yet.

5. 5

   Step 5: Know that the easiest way to core and separate a head of lettuce is to firmly (but not squeezing) hold the head of greens in your hands with the stem side down and strike the cut end of the stem against a counter top.

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   Step 6: Fill the sink with cool water.

7. 7

   Step 7: Agitate the greens around gently with your hands to circulate the water through them thoroughly.

8. 8

   Step 8: Let the leaves sit for a couple minutes

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   Step 9: to allow the dirt to settle on the bottom of the sink.

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    Step 10: Lift out the leaves one or two at a time

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    Step 11: tearing them into the size you want

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    Step 12: or leaving them whole for use later.

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    Step 13: Put the leaves in a colander to drain.

Detailed Guide

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