🔗 Share this article

Inspired by an acclaimed New York restaurant, the groundbreaking technique transforms usually thrown-out outer lettuce leaves into an velvety green emulsion. It’s a ingenious approach to cut down on food waste while making a condiment tasty and flexible.

The Reason Repurpose Outer Lettuce Leaves?

These external greens serve as nature’s natural wrapping, shielding the tender inside lettuce. While composting produce trimmings is one fundamental zero-waste practice, finding creative uses for them is additionally impactful. Converting excess ingredients into rich compost prevents dump accumulation, where they can release methane, a powerful environmental concern.

This is rather radical if you think about it: produce decomposes and becomes the perfect soil to feed more plants, thereby completing this loop and honoring nature’s cycle of life.

Yet, with more than thirty percent extra food getting made than needed, using precious resources efficiently is essential. Reducing leftovers not only saves money but also promotes the more eco-friendly lifestyle.

This Herb-Infused Emulsion Recipe

This versatile recipe works with whatever variety of salad greens and seeds. By using a entire egg, one eliminate the need to repurpose an leftover egg white. This outcome is a smooth, rich dressing that pairs beautifully with greens, grilled veggies, grilled chicken, pasta, or rice.

Yields 2

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

• 100g butter
• 50g external salad leaves of two little gems, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams shelled salted pistachios – white seeds such as blanched almonds help maintain a vivid color, but whatever nuts will do
• One small entire egg

To Make the Side

• Two little gem lettuces, halved lengthways
• Extra-virgin oil, to taste
• Fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar, to taste
• One small bunch soft greens (like chives), leaves picked whole, stems thinly minced

Instructions

First making the emulsion. Heat the butter in a small pot, toss in the external lettuce greens, place a lid and wilt for about 60 seconds, stirring a couple times, until they have wilted. Pour the contents into a container of an stick processor, add the nuts and egg, then blend till smooth. As necessary, incorporate more seeds to achieve the mayonnaise-like texture. Keep in an sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to three days.

To assemble the salad, drizzle each gem half with oil and acid, then salt generously. Coat with a tight drizzle of the herb emulsion, then scatter with the greens. Arrange on 2 dishes and serve immediately.