How to make fresh herbs and lettuce last

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, December 9, 2009

We love to use the fresh ingredients available to use at this time of year, but it can be hard to keep herbs and soft lettuces fresh. But not impossible.

There are several ways to keep herbs fresh longer: Wash them before they go in the fridge, dry well, cut off the ends and put them in a glass of water like a little bunch of flowers. You can cover the tops with a plastic bag or damp paper towel to lock the moisture in.

You can also store washed and dried herbs in a plastic bag along with a paper towel, which will absorb extra moisture and make the environment more humid.

The variety of washed and packaged lettuces can be a great timesaver for washing and storage.

Some of them have been sprayed with chemicals to retard spoilage, which can give them an off flavor. Once you find a brand that you like, though, it can be very handy to keep these in stock.

If you’re cleaning your own heads of lettuce, fill up a bowl of cold water, break off the leaves, dunk them in the water, lift them out, change the water and repeat until the water is clean.

Always dry greens very well with paper or kitchen towels or a salad spinner and store them in a plastic bag with a couple of paper towels as you would with fresh herbs.

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