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Modeled after a well-known NYC restaurant, this groundbreaking method turns often-discarded outer lettuce greens into an smooth green “mayonnaise”. It’s a ingenious way to cut down on food waste while producing something tasty and versatile.

The Reason Use Outer Salad Leaves?

These external leaves serve as nature’s natural wrapping, guarding the tender inside leaves. Although composting produce trimmings is one fundamental sustainable practice, finding creative applications for them is even more beneficial. Converting surplus food into fertile compost prevents dump accumulation, where it may release methane, which is a powerful climate concern.

This is rather radical if you consider about it: produce decomposes and becomes the ideal growing medium to nourish more plants, thus closing this cycle and honoring the cycle of life.

Yet, given over thirty percent extra food being produced than needed, consuming precious ingredients efficiently becomes crucial. Reducing leftovers not only saves cash but also promotes the increasingly sustainable way of living.

The Herb-Infused Emulsion Recipe

The adaptable recipe functions with any type of lettuce and seeds. By incorporating a whole egg, one avoid the need to repurpose the extra egg white. The outcome is a creamy, rich sauce that pairs beautifully with salads, roasted vegetables, grilled poultry, pasta, or grains.

Yields 2

To Make the Herb Emulsion (Makes about 200g)

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 50g external lettuce greens from two romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams shelled roasted pistachios – light-colored nuts such as cashews help keep a bright color, though any seeds will do
• One medium whole egg

To Make the Salad

• 2 romaine or butter heads, halved lengthways
• Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, to taste
• 1 small handful fresh herbs (such as dill), leaves picked intact, stalks finely chopped

Instructions

First preparing the mayonnaise. Melt the butter in one small saucepan, toss in the external lettuce leaves, cover and cook for about a minute, mixing a couple times, till they’ve wilted. Transfer the contents into the jug of an stick processor, add the nuts and egg, then process until creamy. If needed, add more nuts to achieve the mayonnaise-like texture. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for as long as 3 days.

To assemble the salad, sprinkle each lettuce portion with olive oil and lemon juice, then salt liberally. Dress with one tight pattern of the green emulsion, then top with the herbs. Place on 2 plates and enjoy right away.