Killer Salad Recipes

Hopefully we are all washing our salad greens before using them in our killer salads, and in many of our salads we will be using some kind of oil based dressing, but oil and water don’t mix, and any beads of water left on the greens after washing will resist even the lightest of salad dressings. What we need to do is make sure our salad leaves are dry, there are a couple of ways to do this.

We could pat them dry with paper towels, but why anyone still does this is a mystery to me, patting each individual leaf dry is time consuming and messy, leaving you with a kitchen worktop full of soggy paper towels. It’s also a waste of paper, not environmentally friendly at all.

If you want to take the hassle out of drying salad greens, if you want perfectly dry salad leaves in seconds, then you need a salad spinner.

A salad spinner is a bowl with a removable strainer inside and a really clever lid, which when activated will spin your salad faster than a Las Vegas casino, leaving it dry and ready to add to your salad. Salad spinners are a must have piece of equipment for any self respecting kitchen.

There are several available on the market today:

OXO 7.5-in. Good Grips Mini Pump Action Salad Spinner

This reduced-size spinner designed for salads for one or two people leaves your greens high and dry and ready for dressing, it even transports well to the office or picnic. It works efficiently using centrifugal force. As the basket spins, the greens and the water are forced from the center to the sides against the grid, while the water is eliminated.The gears on this salad spinner are well integrated and there is a brake that brings the spinner to a quick halt (no need to wait until the basket stops spinning). It also has a non-skid base that keeps the basket from sliding around on your work surface. Specifically designed for comfort and function, the soft rounded pump fits in your palm and absorbs pressure while you work. The clear base is dishwasher safe and can double as a serving or storage bowl.

Zyliss 10.25-in. Easy Spin Salad Spinner, White

From the originators of the first salad spinner comes an improved, updated version. The Easy Spin could possibly turn carnivores into vegetarians, it’s so simple and fun to use. The foolproof, retractable cord mechanism works with the unique Glidewheel to smoothly and efficiently spin greens and other foods free of water, leaving them clean and ready for tossing with other salad ingredients, for sauteing or adding to other dishes. A smooth, no-rib basket is gentle enough to use with fresh berries. Dressings will no longer be watery, and everything you spin will come out drier. The push of a button stops the spinning instantly. Use the clear bowl for serving or storing.
OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner, Stainless Steel

The OXO SteeL Salad Spinner above combines the ultimate function of our patented pump and brake with the elegance of a stainless steel serving bowl. Simply press the soft pump to start the basket spinning. Press the brake button and the basket comes to a stop for easy unloading. A clear lid lets you peek inside while you spin your salad, and the lid comes apart for easy cleaning. A non-slip base keeps the elegant stainless steel bowl steady on the countertop and the basket and bowl can be used separately. Bowl capacity is 6.34-qt.; basket capacity is 4.95-qt. Dishwasher-safe.

So there you have it, three of the best salad spinners on the market, if you don’t have one already and you enjoy making salads for yourself, family and friends it really is worth getting one, your salads will be so much tastier when there is no water to interfere with your salad dressings.