Kitchen Hygiene: Cleaning your vegetables

All vegetables should be cleaned before being consumed, especially if the skin is to be eaten. Some vegetables. Some vegetables such as mushrooms, spinach and potatoes cling to the soil they are grown in and require more careful cleaning than others.

TO CLEAN:

• 
  
  Salad Greens:
  Soak them in a sink filled with cold water, swirling the leaves around a few times to be sure to remove all the grit and sand. Remove the greens from the water with your hands and let the water with your hands and then let the water drain. Inspect the leaves both visually and by touch. If you find that they are still dirty repeat. Greens straight from the farm may require multiple cleanings.
• 
  
  Mushrooms:Wipe them with a dry paper towel or use a soft-brisled brush designed for the purpose to remove surface dirt. AVOID using water to clean mushrooms as they become soggy.
• 
  
  Root Vegetables: (Potatoes, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes etc.)
  Scrub well with a vegetable brush to remove all pockets of dirt. Cut out any mouldy, soggy or soft parts with a knife. You should not peel carrots unless the outside is dried out or unusually filthy. A little trick that I found very handy with carrots is that you cut the tops off. They last much longer, doesn't go bitter or soggy.
• 
  
  Soft Vegetables: (Tomatoes, Baby MarrowHold under cool water and rub the surface gentle to remove residual dirt and chemicals. No matter how clean they look ALWAYS rinse thoroughly. YOU CANNOT SEE all the dirt or fertilizer or bacteria that might be there.