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Modeled after an acclaimed New York restaurant, this innovative method turns typically wasted external salad greens into an velvety green emulsion. This is a smart approach to minimize leftovers while making a condiment flavorful and versatile.

Why Repurpose Outer Salad Leaves?

These external greens serve as the plant’s protective wrapping, guarding the delicate inside lettuce. Although recycling vegetable trimmings is a fundamental zero-waste practice, finding new uses for them is even more beneficial. Turning surplus food into rich soil prevents landfill accumulation, where they may emit greenhouse gases, which is a powerful climate issue.

It’s rather innovative if you consider about it: food decomposes and transforms into that perfect growing medium to feed further crops, thereby completing the cycle and respecting the cycle of growth.

Yet, given over 30% extra produce getting produced compared to needed, using valuable ingredients efficiently becomes crucial. Reducing waste not only conserves cash but also supports a increasingly eco-friendly way of living.

This Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Recipe

The adaptable formula functions with any variety of lettuce and seeds. By using a whole egg, one eliminate the hassle to repurpose the extra egg white. The outcome is a creamy, nutty dressing that works beautifully with greens, grilled vegetables, seared chicken, noodles, or rice.

Yields 2

To Make the Green Emulsion (Makes approximately 200g)

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 50g external lettuce leaves from 2 romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and dried
• 20 grams peeled roasted nuts – white nuts such as cashews help keep a bright green, but whatever nuts will work
• 1 medium entire egg

For the Side

• 2 romaine or butter lettuces, halved lengthways
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• 1 generous bunch fresh greens (such as chives), leaves picked intact, stems thinly chopped

Steps

First making the emulsion. Heat the butter in one small saucepan, add the external lettuce leaves, place a lid and wilt for approximately a minute, mixing a couple times, until they’ve wilted. Pour the contents into a container of an stick processor, include the nuts and egg, then process till creamy. If needed, add more seeds to achieve a thick texture. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

For assemble the dish, drizzle each gem half with olive oil and acid, then season liberally. Dress with one zigzag pattern of the herb emulsion, then scatter with the herbs. Arrange on two plates and serve immediately.