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Modeled after a popular New York restaurant, this creative technique transforms typically wasted external salad leaves into an velvety herbaceous emulsion. It’s a ingenious approach to minimize kitchen waste while producing a condiment delicious and adaptable.

Why Use Outer Lettuce Leaves?

Those outer leaves are nature’s protective packaging, guarding the delicate inside leaves. While composting produce scraps is one basic zero-waste practice, discovering creative applications for them is additionally beneficial. Converting surplus ingredients into rich soil avoids landfill buildup, where they may release methane, which is a powerful environmental concern.

This is rather radical if you think over it: produce decomposes and becomes the perfect soil to nourish further plants, thus completing this cycle and honoring nature’s process of life.

However, with over 30% surplus food getting produced than needed, using precious resources wisely is crucial. Minimizing waste not only saves cash but also promotes a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

This Green “Mayonnaise” Method

The adaptable formula works with whatever variety of salad greens and seeds. By incorporating one whole egg, one eliminate any hassle to repurpose the leftover white. The outcome is a creamy, nutty sauce that pairs beautifully with greens, roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, pasta, or rice.

Serves 2

To Make the Green Emulsion (Makes about 200g)

• 100g butter
• 50 grams outer lettuce greens of two romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and dried
• 20 grams peeled roasted pistachios – light-colored seeds like pine nuts help maintain the bright green, though any seeds will do
• 1 small whole egg

For the Side

• Two romaine or butter lettuces, split lengthways
• Extra-virgin oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, to taste
• One small bunch soft greens (such as chives), sprigs left intact, stalks finely minced

Instructions

First preparing the mayonnaise. Melt the fat in a small pot, toss in the outer salad greens, place a lid and wilt for approximately 60 seconds, mixing a couple times, till they have wilted. Pour this contents into the container of an immersion blender, add the nuts and egg, then blend till smooth. If needed, incorporate more seeds to achieve the thick texture. Keep in an sealed container in the fridge for as long as 3 days.

To assemble the salad, drizzle each gem portion with olive oil and lemon juice, then season generously. Coat with a zigzag drizzle of the herb mayonnaise, then scatter with the herbs. Place on 2 plates and serve right away.