How to Store Stuff

Circle B Kitchen

CILANTRO AND PARSLEY can be treated the same way. When I get them home from the store I give them a wash and spin in my salad spinner and then another good dry off on some paper towels. Then, I put a little water in the bottom of a deep canning jar (with a wide mouth) and then place my herbs in there. And then depending on how long the stems are, I either place a lid on the jar or cover the top with a plastic bag and store them in the fridge. They will last a week or two (sometimes longer). You might want to change the water every few days.

Storing BASIL is the same in that you'll want to trim the ends of the stems, put them in a jar with the stems in a little water. Then cover it with a plastic bag and set it on the counter or a window sill, but never, ever in the refrigerator. The refrigerator turns the leaves black in a matter of days.

If you use GINGER very often, you can prolong storage life by placing it in a ziploc bag and stashing it in your vegetable drawer in the fridge and it will last for a very long time. I use mine up before it ever goes bad.

If you have LEMON OR LIMES that you're not going to use right away, you can freeze them! Whole!! No, really, it works great! Just place them in a ziploc bag and then into the freezer and they'll keep for a couple of months. When they thaw, they'll be nice and juicy. If you're going to store them in the fridge for a few days, keep them in a plastic ziploc bag. The thing that kills citrus is when the rind starts to dry out.

It sometimes pays to buy SALMON AND COD in large quantities. I usually buy a large filet (2-3lbs) and when I get it home, I slice it into 6-8 oz filets and then use my vacuum sealer to seal up each filet before placing them in the freezer. This way I always have fish on hand and it tastes as good as fresh when thawed. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, I highly recommend it! It's great for sealing and storing all kinds of meats and meals for the freezer!

After awhile, CHEESE is gonna go off pretty much no matter what we do. But it is possible to prolong it's life if it's stored properly. The best way to store cheese is to wrap it in wax paper, which gives it a little breathing room, and then you can place it in a ziploc bag. But best to keep the plastic away from the cheese itself, especially if we're talking about Parmesan. There are lots of cheese storage bags that you can buy, and I've tried a few of them, but I always go back to my wax paper. It seems to keep my cheese as happy as anything else.

ASPARAGUS is another one that will go bad on you in a hurry. But it doesn't have to happen to you. Cut a bit off the bottom of the spears and just like the herbs, place them in a jar with a little water in the bottom. Place a plastic bag over the top and keep this in the refrigerator. I swear I've kept asparagus fresh like this for a couple of weeks.

Storing FRAGILE LETTUCES can be tricky too. To get the most out of my salad greens, the first thing I do is remove them from their plastic tub. It seems that if there is the least bit of moisture trapped somewhere in there, the lettuce will go south in like a nano second. So I grab a good length of paper towels and dump out the lettuce on it then I roll them up very gently in the paper towels and place the whole shebang in a ziploc bag. Your lettuce will stay fresh and tasty for much longer. I promise.