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Inspired by an acclaimed New York eatery, this creative technique converts typically wasted outer salad leaves into a velvety green “mayonnaise”. It’s a smart approach to minimize leftovers while making something tasty and adaptable.

The Reason Use Outer Lettuce Leaves?

These external greens serve as the plant’s natural wrapping, guarding the delicate inside lettuce. While composting vegetable trimmings is a basic sustainable habit, finding new uses for these parts is additionally beneficial. Converting surplus ingredients into fertile compost avoids dump accumulation, where they can release greenhouse gases, which is a powerful environmental concern.

It’s quite radical when you consider over it: food rots and transforms into the perfect soil to nourish more crops, thereby completing the cycle and honoring the process of growth.

Yet, given over 30% surplus food getting produced compared to needed, using precious resources efficiently becomes essential. Reducing leftovers not only saves cash but also supports the increasingly sustainable way of living.

This Herb-Infused Emulsion Method

This versatile formula works with any type of lettuce and nuts. Through incorporating one whole egg, you avoid any hassle to repurpose the extra egg white. The result is a smooth, nutty dressing that pairs perfectly with greens, grilled veggies, grilled poultry, noodles, or grains.

Yields 2

To Make the Green Emulsion (Yields approximately 200g)

• 100g unsalted butter
• 50 grams outer lettuce greens from two little gems, washed and dried
• 20g peeled salted pistachios – light-colored nuts like pine nuts help keep a vivid color, though whatever seeds can do
• One small whole egg

To Make the Salad

• Two romaine or butter lettuces, halved longwise
• Extra-virgin oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• One generous bunch fresh greens (like dill), leaves left whole, stalks thinly minced

Instructions

Begin by making the mayonnaise. Heat the fat in one small pot, toss in the external salad greens, place a lid and wilt for approximately a minute, mixing a couple times, till they have wilted. Pour this contents into a jug of an immersion blender, add the pistachios and egg, then blend until creamy. If needed, incorporate extra seeds to achieve a mayonnaise-like texture. Keep in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for as long as three days.

For assemble the dish, drizzle each gem half with olive oil and lemon juice, then season generously. Coat with a tight drizzle of the green mayonnaise, then top with the greens. Arrange on 2 plates and serve immediately.