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Modeled after a popular New York eatery, this creative technique turns usually thrown-out outer lettuce leaves into a smooth herbaceous “mayonnaise”. This is a ingenious approach to cut down on food waste while creating something flavorful and adaptable.

Why Repurpose External Lettuce Leaves?

Those outer leaves serve as nature’s natural packaging, shielding the delicate inner leaves. Although recycling produce scraps is one basic zero-waste habit, discovering creative applications for these parts is additionally beneficial. Turning excess food into rich soil avoids dump accumulation, where they may release greenhouse gases, which is a powerful environmental issue.

It’s rather innovative if you consider about it: produce rots and becomes the ideal soil to feed more crops, thereby completing the cycle and respecting nature’s cycle of growth.

Yet, with over 30% extra produce being made compared to required, using precious resources wisely is essential. Reducing leftovers not only conserves cash but also promotes the increasingly sustainable way of living.

This Green Emulsion Method

The adaptable formula functions with any type of salad greens and nuts. Through using a whole egg, you avoid any need to use up an leftover white. The result is an smooth, rich sauce that works perfectly with salads, grilled veggies, grilled poultry, noodles, or rice.

Yields 2

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

• 100g butter
• 50g outer salad greens of two romaine or butter lettuce, washed and dried
• 20 grams peeled salted nuts – light-colored seeds such as cashews assist keep the vivid color, but whatever nuts can do
• One medium entire egg

To Make the Salad

• 2 romaine or butter heads, halved longwise
• Cold-pressed olive oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• 1 small bunch fresh herbs (like dill), leaves left intact, stalks thinly minced

Instructions

First making the mayonnaise. Heat the fat in a medium saucepan, toss in the outer salad leaves, place a lid and cook for approximately a minute, stirring once or twice, till they’ve softened. Pour this mixture into the jug of an immersion blender, add the pistachios and egg, then process until smooth. If needed, add extra nuts to achieve the thick texture. Store in an sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to three days.

To assemble the dish, drizzle each gem half with oil and lemon juice, then season generously. Coat with one zigzag drizzle of the green emulsion, then top with the herbs. Arrange on two dishes and serve right away.