Crisping Lettuce

When we married, B. taught me how to create a better salad by crisping the lettuce first. At the time I thought it a little over-the-top and kind of anal (lol) but now I wouldn't consider making a salad without undergoing this two-minute simple process. You'll be amazed at how firm and plump lettuce becomes once its crisp. Goodbye limp salad!


I love the OXO salad spinner because it acts as both a crisper and a spinner. I've tried cheaper versions but always find myself going back to the OXO brand because of it's size and sturdiness (you can even place it on the top rack of your dishwasher if you want). Use that 20% off coupon at Bed Bath and Beyond (what household doesn't receive one at least once each month!) and pick one up for your kitchen. It would make a nice hostess gift too all wrapped up in a big bow.

Crisping lettuce is easy to do: tear apart your lettuce into the desired size (different varieties warrant different sizes). Place in the spinner/crisper with a few ice cubes and sprinkle about 1/2 cup of water over the lettuce. Shake the spinner/crisper a little to get the water moving; then place it in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Lift up the spinner basket and dump out water. Spin the lettuce to remove excess water and voila, you have yourself plump leaves. It seriously takes about two minutes total.

If you want to toss the salad in a simple vinaigrette, take out the white basket and use the bowl for tossing.

Click here or here to buy online.