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Inspired by a well-known NYC eatery, the innovative technique turns typically wasted external lettuce greens into a luxurious herbaceous emulsion. It’s a brilliant way to cut down on food waste while making a condiment tasty and adaptable.

The Reason Repurpose Outer Lettuce Greens?

These external greens serve as nature’s natural packaging, guarding the delicate inner leaves. While composting vegetable trimmings is a fundamental sustainable practice, discovering new uses for them is even more impactful. Turning surplus ingredients into fertile compost prevents landfill buildup, where it may release methane, a potent climate issue.

This is quite radical when you think over it: produce decomposes and transforms into that perfect growing medium to nourish more crops, thus completing this cycle and respecting the process of life.

Yet, with over 30% extra food getting produced than required, consuming precious resources efficiently is essential. Reducing waste not only saves money but also promotes the more eco-friendly way of living.

The Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Method

The adaptable formula works with whatever variety of salad greens and nuts. By using one whole egg, one avoid any need to repurpose the leftover white. The outcome is an smooth, nutty sauce that pairs beautifully with greens, grilled veggies, grilled chicken, pasta, or rice.

Yields two

For the Green “Mayonnaise” (Yields about 200g)

• 100 grams butter
• 50 grams outer salad greens from two romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and dried
• 20 grams shelled roasted nuts – white seeds such as cashews help maintain the bright color, though whatever seeds can do
• One small whole egg

For the Salad

• 2 romaine or butter lettuces, halved longwise
• Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, to taste
• 1 small handful soft herbs (such as chervil), leaves picked intact, stems finely minced

Steps

First making the emulsion. Melt the butter in a small pot, add the outer lettuce greens, place a lid and cook for about a minute, stirring a couple times, till they’ve softened. Transfer this contents into the jug of an stick blender, add the pistachios and whole egg, then process until creamy. If needed, add more seeds to achieve a mayonnaise-like consistency. Keep in a airtight jar in the fridge for up to three days.

For prepare the salad, drizzle each lettuce half with oil and lemon juice, then salt generously. Coat with one zigzag pattern of the green emulsion, then top with the herbs. Arrange on 2 plates and serve immediately.