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Answer: Yes, getting a mouth full of dirt along with your forkful of salad is less than pleasant. You can take a tip from restaurants on cleaning all the grit from your greens and herbs. Fill two bowls with ice-cold water. The water must be ice cold because warm or hot water will wilt the greens. When it comes to salad greens or cooking greens separate each leave from the core or stem. Immerse greens in the first bowl of water and swirl around. Lift them out and plunge into the second bowl and repeat. Drain and rinse the bowls of any grit and repeat process until water is clear. Then dry in a salad spinner or in a clean kitchen clot
If you are washing herbs, tie them in a bundle or keep them rubber banded if they came that way. As above, fill two bowls with cold water. Immerse herb bunch, holding on to the edge of the stem and swirl around for 20 seconds. Lift them out and plunge into the second bowl and repeat. Drain and rinse the bowls of any grit and repeat process until water is clear. Then, remove tie or rubber band, and dry herbs in a salad spinner or in a clean kitchen cloth.
In order to keep greens and herbs longer—especially organic ones which do not have residual fertilizer or pesticide to extend their shelf lives—only use as much as you need per meal. Once the greens become damp, the decomposition process will accelerate—even if they are dried thoroughly. View spring greens recipes.
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