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Inspired by a popular NYC restaurant, the creative method converts usually thrown-out outer salad leaves into a luxurious green emulsion. This is a brilliant approach to reduce kitchen waste while making a condiment tasty and versatile.

The Reason Use External Salad Leaves?

These external greens are the plant’s natural packaging, guarding the delicate inner leaves. Although recycling vegetable scraps is a basic zero-waste practice, finding new applications for these parts is additionally beneficial. Converting excess ingredients into rich compost avoids landfill buildup, where it can emit methane, a potent environmental issue.

This is rather innovative if you think over it: food decomposes and transforms into that ideal soil to feed more plants, thus completing this cycle and honoring the process of life.

However, given more than 30% extra produce getting made compared to needed, using precious ingredients wisely becomes crucial. Minimizing waste not only conserves money but also supports the more sustainable lifestyle.

This Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Method

This adaptable recipe works with any type of salad greens and nuts. By using a entire egg, you avoid the hassle to repurpose the leftover egg white. This result is an smooth, rich sauce that pairs beautifully with greens, roasted veggies, seared chicken, pasta, or grains.

Serves 2

To Make the Herb “Mayonnaise” (Yields about 200g)

• 100 grams butter
• 50 grams external lettuce greens of two romaine or butter lettuce, washed and dried
• 20g shelled salted nuts – light-colored nuts like blanched almonds help maintain a bright green, but any nuts can do
• 1 medium whole egg

For the Salad

• Two little gem lettuces, halved longwise
• Extra-virgin oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• 1 small bunch soft herbs (like chives), leaves picked whole, stalks thinly chopped

Instructions

Begin by making the emulsion. Heat the butter in one small pot, toss in the outer salad greens, cover and cook for approximately a minute, stirring once or twice, until they have softened. Transfer the mixture into the container of an stick blender, add the nuts and whole egg, then process till creamy. If needed, add more seeds to get the mayonnaise-like texture. Store in a airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

To prepare the dish, sprinkle each lettuce portion with oil and acid, then salt liberally. Coat with a zigzag drizzle of the green emulsion, then top with the herbs. Arrange on two dishes and serve right away.