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Modeled after a popular New York eatery, the groundbreaking method turns often-discarded outer lettuce greens into a smooth green “mayonnaise”. This is a smart approach to reduce leftovers while creating something tasty and versatile.

Why Use Outer Salad Greens?

Those outer leaves serve as nature’s protective wrapping, guarding the delicate inner lettuce. Although recycling produce scraps is a basic sustainable practice, finding creative applications for these parts is even more beneficial. Turning surplus food into fertile soil prevents dump buildup, where it may release greenhouse gases, a powerful climate concern.

This is quite innovative when you think over it: produce decomposes and transforms into the ideal growing medium to feed further plants, thereby closing the cycle and honoring the cycle of growth.

Yet, given more than thirty percent surplus food getting produced than required, consuming precious resources efficiently becomes essential. Reducing leftovers not only saves money but also promotes a more sustainable lifestyle.

This Green “Mayonnaise” Recipe

This adaptable formula works with any type of salad greens and nuts. By using one whole egg, one avoid the need to use up the extra white. The outcome is an smooth, nutty sauce that pairs perfectly with salads, grilled vegetables, grilled poultry, pasta, or grains.

Yields two

For the Herb Emulsion (Yields approximately 200 grams)

• 100 grams butter
• 50g external lettuce leaves from 2 little gems, washed and thoroughly dried
• 20g peeled salted pistachios – light-colored seeds such as blanched almonds assist maintain a vivid green, but any seeds can do
• One medium whole egg

For the Side

• 2 romaine or butter heads, split lengthways
• Cold-pressed olive oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• One small bunch fresh herbs (like chervil), sprigs left whole, stalks thinly minced

Steps

Begin by making the emulsion. Melt the fat in one small pot, add the external salad greens, cover and wilt for approximately 60 seconds, stirring a couple times, until they’ve wilted. Pour the mixture into a container of a immersion processor, include the nuts and whole egg, then process until creamy. As necessary, add more seeds to achieve the mayonnaise-like consistency. Keep in a airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

For prepare the salad, sprinkle each lettuce portion with olive oil and acid, then salt liberally. Dress with a zigzag drizzle of the green mayonnaise, then scatter with the herbs. Place on 2 plates and enjoy right away.