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Inspired by an acclaimed New York restaurant, the groundbreaking method transforms often-discarded outer lettuce greens into an smooth herbaceous “mayonnaise”. This is a ingenious way to cut down on kitchen waste while creating a condiment flavorful and versatile.

Why Use External Lettuce Greens?

Those external leaves are nature’s natural packaging, guarding the delicate inner leaves. While composting produce scraps is one basic zero-waste practice, finding creative applications for them is additionally impactful. Turning excess ingredients into fertile soil avoids landfill accumulation, where they can release greenhouse gases, which is a potent environmental concern.

It’s rather innovative when you think about it: produce decomposes and transforms into that perfect soil to nourish more plants, thereby closing the loop and respecting nature’s process of life.

Yet, with more than 30% surplus produce getting produced than required, consuming precious ingredients efficiently is essential. Reducing waste not only conserves money but also supports a increasingly eco-friendly way of living.

The Green Emulsion Recipe

The versatile formula works with whatever variety of lettuce and seeds. By incorporating one whole egg, one eliminate any need to use up an leftover white. The outcome is a creamy, rich dressing that pairs beautifully with salads, grilled vegetables, grilled poultry, noodles, or grains.

Yields two

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

• 100g butter
• 50 grams external salad greens of two romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams shelled roasted pistachios – white nuts like pine nuts help keep a vivid green, though any nuts can work
• 1 medium whole egg

For the Salad

• 2 romaine or butter heads, halved longwise
• Cold-pressed oil, to taste
• Fresh lime juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• One generous handful fresh greens (such as dill), sprigs picked intact, stems thinly minced

Steps

First preparing the mayonnaise. Heat the butter in a medium pot, add the outer salad leaves, cover and cook for approximately 60 seconds, mixing a couple times, until they have wilted. Pour this mixture into a jug of an stick blender, add the pistachios and whole egg, then process till creamy. As necessary, incorporate extra nuts to achieve a mayonnaise-like consistency. Store in a airtight jar in the fridge for up to three days.

To assemble the salad, drizzle each gem portion with olive oil and acid, then salt liberally. Dress with one zigzag pattern of the green emulsion, then scatter with the greens. Arrange on 2 plates and serve immediately.