Hands On! How to Prepare and Store Greens

Greens come in many different shapes, sizes, and flavors, but all have one thing in common – they are largely composed of water. They are easy to keep fresh and delicious once you know the simple basics of handling and storing. Since most greens are grown in sandy soil, they require a bit more care in washing to remove the extra grit – greens must be washed before eating or cooking.

Store: All greens prefer a cool, moist (but not wet) environment. Store sturdier greens like kale and mustard loosely wrapped in plastic or vegetable storage bags in the crisper section of the fridge. The crisper section has high humidity, so vegetables should last a little longer when stored there. For lettuces, invest in a salad spinner – you will not regret it! Look for one with a bowl, spinner top, and internal basket (avoid spinners with drainage holes). Lettuce may be stored unwashed, but it is easy to wash and store right in the spinner, ready to eat at a moment’s notice.

Wash: With the exception of lettuces, do not wash greens until just before using. This wash method seems tedious, but the extra few minutes is worth it to avoid crunching down on a mouthful of grit and sand: fill sink with cool water. Separate head of greens into leaves and swish around in the water. Hold leaves against the side of the sink and wait for the grit to settle at the bottom. Drain sink. Repeat at least another time or two until no grit settles at the bottom of the sink. 

Prep: The greens from Provident Farm are so fresh and tender that the stems can be eaten along with the leaves.  If you do not like stems, or if they seem a little tough, remove them:  fold the leaf in half lengthwise along the stem.  Hold the stem firmly in one hand and tear the leaves off with the other hand.  Leaves of sturdier greens may be left whole, torn, or cut into strips for cooking.  Lettuce will stay crisp longer and hold up to dressings better when leaves are torn rather than cut.

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