🔗 Share this article

Inspired by a well-known NYC restaurant, the innovative method turns often-discarded external lettuce leaves into an smooth herbaceous “mayonnaise”. It’s a brilliant approach to reduce food waste while creating a condiment tasty and flexible.

The Reason Use External Lettuce Greens?

Those outer greens are nature’s natural wrapping, guarding the tender inner lettuce. Although composting vegetable scraps is a fundamental zero-waste practice, discovering creative applications for these parts is even more beneficial. Turning surplus ingredients into rich soil prevents dump buildup, where they can release methane, which is a potent environmental issue.

It’s rather radical if you think over it: food decomposes and becomes the ideal soil to feed more crops, thereby completing the loop and honoring nature’s cycle of life.

Yet, given over 30% surplus produce being made than required, consuming valuable resources efficiently becomes crucial. Reducing waste not only saves cash but also promotes a increasingly eco-friendly lifestyle.

The Green Emulsion Recipe

The adaptable formula functions with any type of lettuce and nuts. Through incorporating a whole egg, you avoid any hassle to repurpose the leftover egg white. This result is an smooth, rich dressing that pairs perfectly with greens, grilled veggies, grilled poultry, noodles, or rice.

Yields 2

For the Herb Emulsion (Makes about 200g)

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 50g external salad leaves from two romaine or butter lettuce, washed and dried
• 20 grams peeled roasted nuts – light-colored nuts such as blanched almonds assist maintain the bright color, but any nuts can work
• 1 small whole egg

To Make the Side

• 2 little gem lettuces, halved lengthways
• Cold-pressed olive oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• One generous bunch fresh greens (like chives), sprigs picked whole, stalks finely minced

Steps

First preparing the mayonnaise. Melt the fat in a medium pot, add the external lettuce greens, cover and cook for about 60 seconds, stirring a couple times, till they have wilted. Transfer this mixture into a container of an immersion processor, include the pistachios and egg, then process till creamy. As necessary, add more nuts to get the thick consistency. Store in an sealed container in the fridge for as long as 3 days.

For prepare the dish, drizzle each lettuce portion with oil and lemon juice, then salt generously. Dress with a tight pattern of the herb mayonnaise, then scatter with the greens. Place on 2 dishes and enjoy right away.