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Drawing from a well-known NYC restaurant, this innovative method transforms usually thrown-out external lettuce greens into a luxurious green emulsion. This is an smart approach to minimize food waste while creating a condiment tasty and versatile.

Why Repurpose Outer Salad Leaves?

These outer greens serve as the plant’s protective wrapping, shielding the delicate inner lettuce. Although recycling vegetable scraps is a basic sustainable habit, discovering new applications for these parts is even more beneficial. Turning surplus food into rich compost prevents landfill buildup, where it can release greenhouse gases, a powerful climate concern.

It’s rather radical when you think over it: produce decomposes and becomes the perfect soil to nourish further plants, thus closing the loop and respecting nature’s cycle of life.

However, given more than 30% surplus food getting made than needed, using precious ingredients wisely becomes crucial. Reducing waste not only saves money but also promotes a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

The Green “Mayonnaise” Recipe

This adaptable recipe works with any variety of salad greens and nuts. By using a entire egg, you eliminate any hassle to use up the extra white. This outcome is an creamy, rich dressing that works perfectly with salads, grilled veggies, seared chicken, pasta, or rice.

Yields two

To Make the Green Emulsion (Yields approximately 200g)

• 100 grams butter
• 50g external lettuce leaves from 2 romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20g peeled salted pistachios – white nuts such as cashews assist maintain the vivid green, though whatever seeds will do
• 1 medium whole egg

To Make the Side

• Two little gem heads, split longwise
• Cold-pressed olive oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• One generous bunch fresh herbs (like dill), sprigs left intact, stems finely chopped

Steps

First making the emulsion. Heat the fat in a medium saucepan, toss in the outer lettuce greens, cover and wilt for approximately a minute, mixing a couple times, till they’ve wilted. Transfer this mixture into a jug of a stick blender, add the pistachios and egg, then blend until creamy. If needed, incorporate more nuts to get the thick texture. Store in an sealed jar in the fridge for up to three days.

To assemble the salad, sprinkle each gem portion with olive oil and lemon juice, then season liberally. Dress with a zigzag pattern of the herb emulsion, then top with the greens. Place on two plates and serve immediately.