How to save red leaf lettuce for the winter. How to keep leaf lettuce fresh for a long time

Bright and juicy lettuce leaves are actively used by hostesses to prepare a wide variety of culinary masterpieces. But, unfortunately, they do not last long. And this is not surprising: leaf lettuce is incredibly capricious - it does not tolerate transportation very well, and if it is not stored correctly, then attractive leaves will generally deteriorate in a matter of hours. What's more, every day lettuce leaves are stored after harvesting, depriving them of nearly 25% of their nutrients. So is there any way to extend their shelf life? It turns out quite.

How to harvest and store lettuce?

Owners of their own plots are advised to collect lettuce leaves only in dry weather in the morning. The fact is that dew or rain provoke their rapid deterioration. Greens must be dug out along with the roots, placing it in small boxes with the roots down.

If you simply put lettuce leaves pre-wrapped in a damp towel on a shelf in the refrigerator, they will remain fresh for only two days. To extend their shelf life by several days, lettuce leaves are wrapped in a paper napkin, after which any silver object is placed inside the package. And then the salad is sent for storage in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. This little trick will help you keep this wonderful leafy vegetable up to a week.

If you want to keep the harvest fresh for up to two weeks, then lettuce leaves are placed in plastic or glass containers with lids. So that there are no foreign odors in the containers, it is necessary to allocate separate containers for greens. The bottoms of the container are lined with paper towels, then a layer of greens is laid, then the greens are covered with another paper towel on top, tightly closed with a lid and placed on a shelf in the refrigerator. In the event that tall containers are used to store lettuce leaves, each layer of greens must be covered with a paper napkin.

How to prepare lettuce leaves for storage?

Collected or purchased lettuce leaves are placed in a large bowl and washed well under cold running water. Then, so that excess liquid drains from the leaves, they are transferred to a colander for a while.

A table or other work surface is covered with paper napkins or a cotton towel, after which lettuce leaves are laid out on them to allow them to dry completely. Keep the leaves completely dry, as even the smallest drop of water left after drying can hopelessly spoil the taste of this healthy product.

Leave lettuce leaves long time in the light is categorically not recommended - you need to cover them with a clean towel. And if you plan to chop lettuce leaves, it is better to do without a knife - contact with metal adversely affects their taste properties. To chop lettuce leaves, they are simply torn by hand.

Storing lettuce leaves in the freezer

The freezer is a great solution for storing lettuce leaves, because they can be stored in it even throughout the winter!

Before freezing, prepared lettuce leaves must be blanched - this will save not only bright color and a wonderful aroma of greens, but also the maximum nutritional components contained in it. Lettuce is literally dipped in boiling water for a couple of minutes, after which the leaves are removed and doused with ice water. Then the lettuce leaves are laid out on a flat surface so that they dry thoroughly, and when they are completely dry, they are laid out in bags. The bags, in turn, are tightly tied and put in the freezer.

If there are fears that after defrosting a healthy leafy vegetable will turn into an extremely unappetizing mass, you can store it in the form of mashed potatoes. To do this, the leaves are passed through a meat grinder, laid out in bags and frozen. It is not forbidden to freeze them in plastic containers equipped with lids. In this case, it is best to freeze in one container or bag the amount of lettuce that you plan to use at a time, since it can no longer be re-frozen.

You can freeze lettuce leaves in another way - the crushed leaves are laid out in ice molds, poured with boiled water and placed in the freezer. And as soon as the water hardens, the cubes with greens are transferred to bags and put back in the freezer. In this form, the salad can be stored for up to two years, and after thawing the cubes, even its wonderful aroma is preserved!

Only fresh with green leaves without signs of wilting, yellowing or rotting is subject to storage. If the leaves are difficult, it turns out, to be called fresh, then they will deteriorate very quickly. In some cases, even eating a salad will be difficult. If, for example, the leaves begin to wither or deteriorate, then their taste characteristics will be significantly impaired.

Tips for storing watercress:

• watercress leaves do not need to be washed before storage (any amount of moisture accelerates the rotting process);
• if watercress leaves are stored in a plastic bag, then you must first make holes in it to create ventilation (condensate accumulates in the plastic bag, which leads to moisture and further rotting of the leaves);
• the best storage option for watercress is a plastic container with a lid or a bag (the bag should not be plastic, but plastic);
• watercress should not be stored at room temperature (light and heat are detrimental to the leaves, especially if they are cut);
• if you put watercress leaves in a glass jar and pour vegetable oil, they will last longer (you can use any vegetable oil, including olive oil);
• watercress can be stored using salt (salt can be dissolved in water, and then poured over lettuce leaves, or sprinkled with coarse salt, in both cases, glass jars or containers should be used as a container);
• if you wrap watercress in parchment or any thick paper, then it will better retain its taste characteristics and freshness);
• watercress should be stored only in the refrigerator or in the freezer (at room conditions, watercress can be stored for some time if it was grown on its own and was not cut, but dug up with part of the earth);
• in the refrigerator, watercress should be placed in the vegetable area or on the shelves in the refrigerator door (if the leaves freeze, they will change their taste and consistency of the leaves);
• whole leaves of watercress are stored better and longer than chopped ones (if the leaves are chopped or have a significant amount of mechanical damage, then they should be eaten as soon as possible);
• you can freeze watercress in any container (containers, plastic or plastic bags, etc.);
• before freezing, watercress is recommended to be washed if there are impurities on its leaves (after washing, the leaves must be dried naturally).

Watercress can be canned. To do this, use sterilized glass jars with lids and a small amount of vinegar. Lettuce leaves go well with greens, so they can be placed in containers along with, or. Before canning, it is necessary to heat treat not only the jars, but also the leaves themselves. It is enough to blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes.

How long can watercress be stored

Cut leaves can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. On average, they remain fresh and juicy only for 5-6 days. Lettuce with roots can be stored for a longer period. If watercress is bought in pots, then cut off the leaves before direct consumption. If the lettuce is grown on its own, then it is better not to cut it, but to dig it up. By placing the roots with the remnants of the earth in a plastic glass, you can create an imitation of a pot. In this state, the salad can be stored for almost one and a half to two weeks.

Watercress leaves can be frozen. They will keep fresh for several months in the freezer. It should be borne in mind that after defrosting, the consistency of the leaves will be disturbed, so it will be problematic to use them to decorate salads or other dishes.

Pickled watercress keeps the longest. In this case, the freshness of the leaves is not lost for almost 3-4 months. However, the longer the leaves are stored, the more they are saturated with marinade and change their taste characteristics.

All types of leaf lettuce are usually consumed fresh. The product is delicate and, being plucked from the garden, fades right before our eyes. This is very frustrating... If you don't know how to store leaf lettuce so that it stays fresh for several days. We are happy to share the secrets of home cooking.

unwashed greens

The freshness of lettuce, like dill, parsley, cilantro, can be preserved for several days if you put the greens in water like a flower. In a small but deep bowl, pour a little water and immerse the head of cabbage in it. In order for the plant to better absorb moisture, part of the leaves near the cuttings are cut off by 3 mm. Cover the top of the bowl with cling film or a plastic bag.

In such an impromptu greenhouse, lettuce leaves do not wither or turn yellow for a relatively long time. You don't even have to put greens in the fridge. If the kitchen is cool, the greens will remain fresh after 2 days. But the refrigerator still helps to increase the shelf life of the product - at a temperature of about + 4 degrees (vegetable compartment), the salad will be as crispy as just plucked from the garden in 4-7 days.

A head of lettuce disassembled into individual leaves is stored only in the refrigerator. To do this, the sheets are laid out loosely on a substrate made of cardboard or food foam. Top cover (loosely) with cling film. For a week, unwashed lettuce leaves in such a package are guaranteed not to wither, turn yellow, or become moldy.

washed lettuce

There are several ways to store washed leaf lettuce. The technologies are simple, they help to keep greens usable for 2 weeks. What should be done:

1. The washed salad is wrapped in a dry waffle towel. Placed in the refrigerator compartment on the bottom shelf.
2. Lettuce is washed, excess liquid is carefully removed with a paper towel. Put in a glass, ceramic or enameled bowl. Cover with colander on top. Shake the container a couple of times so that the lettuce leaves lie denser. Send to vegetables stored in the refrigerator.
3. Lettuce is sorted into leaves, spread not very tightly in a plastic container. Cover with a paper towel on top, which will absorb excess moisture and prevent the greens from getting moldy. Close the container tightly with a lid. Store in the lower compartment of the refrigerator for 7-10 days.

Let's share a m-a-a-scarlet, but very useful trick: if you put a silver ring, a coin, any other silver product in a container (bag, towel) next to lettuce, the vegetable's shelf life will increase to 21-30 days.

And one more secret: “drooping” lettuce leaves can be reanimated. For this, the greens are poured very cold water, put a press (plate) on top and leave it in this form for a couple of hours. During this time, the plant will be saturated with moisture and "come to life". Now the vegetable can be eaten or sent for storage in the refrigerator.

If green salads in your home kitchen frequent guests then you just need to buy special salad dryer with centrifuge. They are not expensive, however, this product is in short supply, especially in the provinces. But if you set a goal, you can find it. They all look pretty much the same, like this:

Most importantly, when using do not overload the dryer otherwise the salad will wrinkle. It is better to do the procedure several times. It is convenient to dry in it not only salad, but also any greens.

Well, if there is no such drying, then follow instructions:

Break the lettuce into leaves. It is convenient to do this by cutting off the stalk.

Put the lettuce in a bowl of water and wash the fragile leaves. I usually rinse them under running water.

Fold up clean leaves into a colander, let the bulk of the water drain.

Take a clean, thick towel, spread it on the table and put the salad on it.

Roll the towel into a tube, gently twisting the leaves. The towel will absorb the water and the salad will dry out.

There is also a more radical way. Spread a towel on the table and place washed lettuce leaves on it.

Gather the edges of the towel up over the salad.

Holding the edges of the towel tightly in the palm of your hand, rotate your hand, creating a centrifuge effect. Choose the plane of rotation at will, even over your head! A little funny, I agree, but you are in your home kitchen, and she didn’t see anything like that!))) Yes, and there is never too much joy! Most importantly, the results are amazing! Fast and efficient! Just take a thick towel, you can in two layers. Otherwise, a refreshing shower will be provided not only to you, but also to your kitchen.

With these emerald leaves you can cook

A great opportunity to have vitamins on hand is to stock up on leaf lettuce. But how to store lettuce leaves in the refrigerator, leaving fresh for a long time? There are several proven recommendations for this.

Training

To store longer before sending the salad to the refrigerator shelf, you need to properly prepare everything:

1. When buying, you should pay attention to the freshness and integrity of the leaves, preferably in a head form.
2. When separating into parts - immediately think of an airtight container.
3. Rinse thoroughly, each leaf individually, with running water.
4. Remove excess moisture with a cloth or paper.
5. Pack the salad in a plastic container with an airtight lid or cling film. As an option, a paper towel wrapper is useful.
6. It can be stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for about a week.

There are two opinions about washing lettuce leaves. Proponents of washing before storing, wash any greens, including lettuce. Their oppositionists believe that if it is necessary to store, then wash only before eating.

At the bottom of the container, where it is planned to store stocks of leaves and on top of them, it is recommended to put a paper napkin. The paper will absorb the condensation from the refrigerator and prevent the salad from rotting. Similar action- when a plate of salad is covered with a bag with holes or a towel.

Tip: when storing lettuce leaves, you can use one trick: put any silver item in their packaging. So you can achieve the freshness of a leaf plant for 30 days.

Instead of a container - a colander

• Separate lettuce into leaves.
• Remove thickenings at the bottom, as well as damaged or contaminated places with a knife.
• Place the leaves in water, which is changed several times.
• Take it out of the water, shake it thoroughly, put it in a deep bowl.
• Take a colander, turn it upside down and put it on top of the salad.
• Shake the contents so that the leaves can straighten.
• Store on a refrigerator shelf for five to seven days.

salad resuscitation

Withered leaves, before throwing out, it is better to try to reanimate, and then store.

They are placed for 120 minutes in a container with ice water, covering it with a lid. As soon as the salad has absorbed the required amount of moisture, elasticity and freshness returned to it. appearance, you can get it, put it on a surface covered with paper towels. After making sure that there is practically no moisture, you can put it in a container and send it to the refrigerator. At the same time, reanimated salad cannot be stored for a long time, it is worth using it faster.

Long term preservation

Thinking about how much to store a salad, you do not need to focus on just one week. Indeed, this is a perishable green. However, modern housewives find ways of long-term storage using a freezer. Options to save this way have similarities and differences:

Both options allow you to store the product in the freezer until the spring new harvest. But it must be remembered that repeated - freezing and defrosting - are prohibited.

Without water treatment

Wrap unwashed lettuce leaves cling film. Wherein:

• Spread them loosely on a food cardboard or foam surface. There should be air circulation between the leaves.
• Send the salad wrapped in cling film to the very bottom of the refrigerator.
• 7 days of freshness will be provided.

Before use, the leaves are torn by hand. It is not recommended to cut with sharp metal objects, as this impairs their taste due to oxidation.

flower way

Greens, including lettuce, can be stored like a bouquet of flowers. The algorithm for storing its leaves is as follows:

1. Cut cuttings like flower stems, increasing their ability to absorb moisture.
2. Put the so-called flower bouquet, stems to the bottom in a container where water is poured so that the ends of the cuttings reach it.
3. Cover the leaves. A film or cellophane bag will come in handy.

In room coolness, such a bouquet can do without a refrigerator. Although, the leaves are better stored at a temperature of about + 4 °.

To provide the family with vitamins, housewives, when preparing supplies, take into account a lot. Someone prefers to make puree from lettuce leaves with a blender and freeze later, others prefer to marinate. The main thing is that there are ways to store, they are effective, you just need to choose the right one for each specific case.