Jun 28 Cleaning Greens

Greens, particularly spinach, can be a real chore to clean, and it can be somewhat difficult to remove all of the grit. There is one approach that makes much shorter and more efficient work of the task than any other I’ve found. First, trim off any root or other ends of the greens which will not be used (or in the case of beets or turnips, which are best washed separately). Place the greens in a large bowl and fill with enough cold water to cover completely. The greens should not be packed tightly in the bowl. There should be plenty of room for them to move around. Gently agitate the greens in the water with one hand – essentially as if your hand were the agitator in a top-loading washer.

Let the greens soak in the water for several minutes, then remove the greens and place in a colander. Do not pour the greens or the water into the colander. Instead, use your hands to pick them out. The idea is to leave all the grit that has settled in the water bowl behind, not dump it back over everything. Repeat these steps with fresh water until what remains in the bowl is free of grit and dirt (this shouldn’t take more than two or three washings). Rinse the greens and let dry in the colander, or, for faster results, dry them in a salad spinner.