Revive a wilted lettuce by rinsing it upside-down under a cold tap for a few seconds. Shake off excess water and put the lettuce into a large polythene bag. Tie up the bag tightly, trapping as much air as you can inside, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or overnight.
Always make sure lettuce leaves are absolutely dry before tossing them with dressing; it won't cling to moist leaves.
If you don't have a salad spinner, put washed lettuce leaves into a clean tea towel, gather up the four corners and spin round at arm's length.
Use your fingers to tear lettuce into bite-size pieces; a knife can bruise the edges and destroy any vitamins.
Use extra lettuce leaves as a hot vegetable. Braised, sauteed or stir-fried, they make a surprisingly good side dish.
