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Inspired by a well-known New York eatery, the creative method converts typically wasted outer salad greens into an smooth herbaceous “mayonnaise”. It’s an smart way to minimize leftovers while making a condiment flavorful and flexible.

The Reason Use External Lettuce Greens?

These external leaves are the plant’s natural wrapping, shielding the delicate inner lettuce. While composting vegetable scraps is one basic zero-waste practice, finding new uses for them is even more beneficial. Turning surplus ingredients into rich compost avoids dump accumulation, where they can emit methane, which is a potent environmental issue.

This is rather radical when you think about it: food rots and becomes the ideal growing medium to feed more crops, thereby closing this cycle and honoring nature’s process of life.

However, with over thirty percent extra produce getting produced than needed, using precious ingredients wisely is crucial. Minimizing leftovers not only conserves money but also supports the increasingly sustainable way of living.

The Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Recipe

The versatile recipe works with any type of lettuce and nuts. Through incorporating one whole egg, you eliminate any hassle to repurpose an extra egg white. This outcome is a creamy, nutty dressing that pairs beautifully with salads, grilled veggies, grilled chicken, pasta, or rice.

Yields two

For the Green Emulsion (Yields about 200 grams)

• 100 grams butter
• 50 grams outer salad leaves of 2 romaine or butter lettuce, washed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams shelled roasted nuts – white nuts like blanched almonds help maintain the vivid green, though whatever seeds can work
• One small whole egg

For the Side

• Two little gem heads, split lengthways
• Cold-pressed olive oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• One generous bunch soft greens (such as chervil), leaves left whole, stalks thinly chopped

Instructions

Begin by making the emulsion. Heat the fat in a medium pot, toss in the outer lettuce leaves, cover and cook for about 60 seconds, stirring once or twice, till they’ve wilted. Transfer this mixture into the container of an immersion blender, include the pistachios and egg, then blend until creamy. If needed, incorporate more seeds to achieve the thick texture. Keep in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to three days.

To prepare the salad, sprinkle each gem half with olive oil and lemon juice, then salt liberally. Coat with a zigzag drizzle of the herb emulsion, then top with the herbs. Place on 2 plates and enjoy immediately.