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Inspired by a popular NYC eatery, the groundbreaking technique converts typically wasted external salad leaves into a smooth green “mayonnaise”. It’s a ingenious way to minimize leftovers while producing a condiment tasty and flexible.

The Reason Repurpose External Salad Leaves?

These external greens are the plant’s protective packaging, guarding the tender inside lettuce. While composting vegetable trimmings is a fundamental zero-waste practice, discovering new uses for these parts is even more impactful. Turning excess ingredients into rich compost avoids dump accumulation, where they can release methane, a potent climate concern.

It’s rather radical if you think about it: produce decomposes and transforms into that ideal growing medium to nourish more crops, thus closing this loop and respecting the cycle of growth.

Yet, given more than thirty percent extra produce getting made than required, consuming valuable ingredients efficiently is crucial. Reducing waste not only conserves money but also supports a more sustainable lifestyle.

This Herb-Infused Emulsion Recipe

The versatile recipe functions with whatever variety of lettuce and seeds. By incorporating a entire egg, one eliminate any need to use up the leftover white. The outcome is an smooth, rich sauce that works perfectly with salads, roasted veggies, grilled chicken, pasta, or rice.

Serves two

For the Green “Mayonnaise” (Makes approximately 200g)

• 100g unsalted butter
• 50g external lettuce greens of 2 romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and dried
• 20 grams peeled salted pistachios – white seeds like pine nuts help keep the bright color, but whatever seeds will do
• One medium whole egg

To Make the Salad

• 2 romaine or butter heads, split longwise
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, to taste
• One small bunch soft greens (like parsley), leaves picked intact, stalks thinly chopped

Instructions

First making the mayonnaise. Heat the fat in one medium saucepan, add the external lettuce leaves, place a lid and cook for approximately a minute, mixing a couple times, until they have wilted. Transfer the contents into a jug of an stick processor, add the pistachios and whole egg, then blend till creamy. If needed, incorporate more nuts to achieve the thick consistency. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for as long as 3 days.

For assemble the dish, sprinkle each gem half with olive oil and lemon juice, then season generously. Coat with a zigzag drizzle of the herb emulsion, then top with the greens. Arrange on 2 dishes and serve right away.