How to Shred Lettuce

Attaining at home the light delicious crisp of the shredded lettuce you find in restaurants is easier than you might have thought. Many recipes call for shredded lettuce or cabbage; you can shred both in the same manner. Other tasty dishes are even better with a nice helping of shredded lettuce or cabbage on top.

Things You'll Need

• Iceberg lettuce/cabbage
• Cutting surface
• Sharp knife

Instructions

1. Choose a nice fresh head of iceberg lettuce. Other lettuces that are crisp will work well, but lettuces like Romaine or anything else extra light and leafy won't cut it--or rather, shred it.

2. Split open the head of lettuce by smacking the stem on your counter, cutting board or other hard surface.

3. Wash your lettuce well by running it under water. If you're concerned about insecticides and all the other contaminants out there, rinse the lettuce in a combination of vinegar and water. Pat it dry, or dust off that salad spinner and give your lettuce a ride.

4. Get a long, sharp knife. Having the right knife is essential. You simply can't shred lettuce with a butter knife or anything else that's too small or too dull. Cut the head of lettuce down the center.

5. Cut each half in half again, and if you want smaller pieces to work with, repeat. This will give you eight pieces of iceberg lettuce head to work with. If you don't need that much shredded lettuce, wrap the rest in dry paper towels and place it in sealed plastic bags in the fridge.

6. Begin shredding the remainder of the lettuce by cutting the wedges you left out into small slices, working from one side of the wedge to the other. Loosen the shreds and enjoy.

Tips & Warnings

• That's a pretty sharp knife you've got there, so watch those fingers.