Before you put away your produce, including those fresh spinach leaves, read this!
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Freshspinachis so versatile that its no wonder its a staple in many refrigerators.
Saute it with garlic and olive oil.
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Make aspinach salad with warm bacon dressing.
Use it in a quiche or an omelet, or makeButtermilk Alfredo Chicken spinach Pasta.
Southern Livingchecked in with Chef Paul Pszybylski, the vice president of culinary innovation at California Pizza Kitchen.
How Should Fresh Spinach Leaves Be Stored?
First things first: Dont even think about storing your fresh spinach until youve washed it thoroughly.
Ensuring its clean is crucial, says Pszybylski.
The chef likes to wash the leaves before placing them in a salad spinner to dry.
Once hes assured the leaves are dry, he stores them in a simple Ziploc bag.
This is important so [the leaves] stay fresh and will also help prevent bruising, he explains.
Store the bag in your produce drawer.
Washing Techniques
Fresh spinach is deliciousso long as it doesnt contain any dirt or sand granules!
This is because any water left lingering on the fresh spinach leaves will start to break it down.
That is why a salad spinner effectively drying the spinach after washing is very important, says Pszybylski.
If you dont have a salad spinner, thats ok!
How Long Does Fresh Spinach Last?
Youll know it has run its course when you start to notice bruised or wilted leaves, explains Pszybylski.
