How To Cut Romaine Lettuce Into Perfect Salad-Sized Pieces

Crisp and invitingly verdant, romaine lettuce is a core component of a classic Caesar salad. Other greens, like iceberg and baby spinach, simply don't have the necessary swagger and structure to pull off being a vehicle for its creamy but bright dressing, which is heavily-textured with anchovies, garlic, and mayo. romaine has stronger leaves than other delicate varieties of lettuce, which means it stays crisp and toothsome instead of turning limp and lifeless in seconds under the weight of a rich dressing. This is because the hardier ribs that run up its length, much like kale, can take the pressure. Cutting romaine lettuce into perfect salad-sized pieces is a breeze if you split it down the middle first before cutting across those load-bearing ribs.

Once you've cut your head of romaine down the center (through the stem at the base) into two halves place them cut side up on your cutting board so you can remove the core. The best way to do this it to make an angled cut just above it on one side and then on the other so the two cuts meet, like an upside down "V." Discard the core and flip your romaine over so it's cut side down. If you have a small head of lettuce, slice it lengthways down the middle. For a larger romaine, make anything from two to three lengthways cuts to create thirds or quarters. Then cut across it from tips of the leaves to the base to create salad-sized pieces.

The structure of romaine lettuce makes it perfect for pairing with meaty-textured ingredients, like fresh olives, and salty cheeses, such as feta. It can also withstand the intensity of pungent vinaigrettes and dressings featuring garlic, mustard, and blue cheese. However, as with any salad comprised primarily of greens, the leaves need to be washed and dried well before they're dressed. 

You can either wash your whole head of romaine as is or half it first and wash each portion under a running tap to remove anything lurking on the surface of the leaves. The benefit of doing it at this point is that the internal layers of leaves will be revealed, making it easier to catch any unwanted particles of soil. However, if you prefer, you can wait until after you've cut your romaine into pieces to ensure every area can be well washed. With any of these methods, it's best to give your washed leaves a whirl in a salad spinner to remove excess moisture and eliminate the risk of making a soggy salad. Alternatively, sandwich the leaves between two paper towels and gently press down on them to absorb any water left on the surface. If you're prepping your leaves for later, one of the best ways to keep lettuce fresh is to spread it out on a plate and refrigerate it.