How Do You Revive Wilted Herbs and Leafy Greens?

The most practical way to revive wilted herbs and greens is to trim the stem ends with a sharp knife and stand the bunch in ice water. Water travels back up through the freshly cut stems, restoring the moisture the leaves have lost. Fine-stemmed herbs like parsley and dill usually perk up noticeably within 15 to 30 minutes; leafy greens like lettuce may take a little longer. This also works on freshly bought greens — doing it right after shopping noticeably extends how long they stay fresh. Why Do Greens Wilt in the First Place? A leaf's cells stand firm and upright when full of water, a state called turgor pressure. Exposed to air, greens gradually lose that water, the cells shrink, and the leaves droop and look lifeless. The dry air inside a refrigerator speeds this water loss up, which is why greens left unwrapped or loosely covered visibly wilt within a few days. How Do You Do the Ice Water Soak? Trim about a centimeter off the wilted stems; this opens up the clogged channels so water can be absorbed more easily. Stand the bunch stem-down in a bowl filled with ice water. Left for 15 to 30 minutes, the greens noticeably perk up and regain their shine; leaving them longer can help further, though there's usually no need to go past an hour. Which Greens Respond, and Which Don't? Soft-leaved herbs like parsley, dill, mint and arugula benefit the most, since their cells reabsorb water quickly. Leaves that have already yellowed, browned or started to rot won't come back this way, since the cell structure is damaged beyond repair. In that case, picking out the sprigs that are still sound and reviving only those is more worthwhile than tossing the whole bunch. Leaves that are wilted but not yet yellowed respond best; the earlier the wilting is caught, the more noticeable the recovery. Is There an Alternative to the Water Soak? Without ice water on hand, wrapping the greens in a damp paper towel and leaving them in the refrigerator for a few minutes can offer a partial revival, though it's slower and less effective than the soak. Some kitchens keep greens standing stem-down in water inside the refrigerator for hours at a time; this extends freshness and offers an extra boost right before they're needed. How Should They Be Stored Afterward? Once revived, pat the greens dry with a paper towel, wrap them loosely in a fresh paper towel, and store them in a perforated bag in the refrigerator. The paper towel absorbs excess moisture and keeps them from wilting again quickly. Standing the stems in a glass of water covered loosely with a bag can also keep them fresh for a few more days; this works especially well for dill and parsley. Storing greens unwashed also cuts down on moisture buildup — washing is best left until just before they're used. In Short The formula for reviving wilted greens is simple: trim the stems, soak in ice water, and once revived, wrap in a paper towel and refrigerate. This won't bring back leaves that have already rotted — only ones that are merely wilted.