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Inspired by a popular New York eatery, this innovative method converts usually thrown-out outer salad leaves into a velvety green emulsion. It’s a ingenious approach to minimize kitchen waste while making something delicious and adaptable.

Why Use Outer Salad Greens?

Those outer leaves are the plant’s protective wrapping, shielding the delicate inside lettuce. While composting produce trimmings is a basic zero-waste practice, discovering new uses for them is even more beneficial. Turning excess ingredients into fertile compost avoids dump buildup, where it can release greenhouse gases, which is a potent environmental issue.

This is rather radical if you consider about it: food rots and becomes the perfect growing medium to nourish further plants, thereby closing this loop and respecting the cycle of life.

However, with more than 30% surplus produce being produced than required, consuming valuable ingredients wisely becomes essential. Reducing leftovers not only saves cash but also supports a increasingly sustainable lifestyle.

This Herb-Infused Emulsion Recipe

This versatile formula functions with any variety of lettuce and nuts. Through using a whole egg, you eliminate any need to repurpose the leftover white. This outcome is an smooth, rich dressing that works perfectly with greens, grilled veggies, grilled poultry, noodles, or grains.

Yields 2

To Make the Green “Mayonnaise” (Makes about 200 grams)

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 50 grams external lettuce greens from 2 little gems, washed and dried
• 20g peeled salted nuts – light-colored nuts like pine nuts help maintain a bright green, though whatever nuts can do
• One small whole egg

To Make the Salad

• Two little gem heads, halved lengthways
• Extra-virgin oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, to taste
• 1 generous handful soft herbs (such as chives), leaves picked whole, stalks thinly chopped

Steps

Begin by preparing the mayonnaise. Melt the butter in one medium pot, toss in the outer lettuce greens, place a lid and cook for about a minute, stirring once or twice, till they have softened. Pour the mixture into a jug of a stick processor, add the pistachios and whole egg, then blend until creamy. If needed, add extra nuts to get a mayonnaise-like texture. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

For assemble the dish, sprinkle each lettuce portion with oil and acid, then season generously. Dress with one tight drizzle of the herb mayonnaise, then top with the greens. Arrange on 2 plates and serve right away.