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Modeled after a popular NYC restaurant, this innovative technique converts often-discarded external salad greens into an luxurious green emulsion. This is an smart approach to cut down on leftovers while producing a condiment tasty and adaptable.

The Reason Use Outer Salad Leaves?

Those external leaves are the plant’s natural packaging, guarding the delicate inside lettuce. Although composting produce scraps is a basic zero-waste practice, discovering new applications for them is even more beneficial. Converting surplus food into fertile soil prevents landfill buildup, where it may emit methane, which is a potent climate issue.

It’s rather radical when you think about it: food decomposes and transforms into that ideal growing medium to feed more crops, thus closing this cycle and respecting nature’s process of growth.

Yet, with over 30% surplus produce being made compared to required, consuming valuable resources efficiently is essential. Reducing leftovers not only saves money but also supports the more eco-friendly lifestyle.

The Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Method

The versatile recipe works with whatever type of salad greens and seeds. By using a whole egg, one eliminate the need to repurpose an leftover egg white. This outcome is a smooth, nutty sauce that pairs perfectly with salads, roasted veggies, seared poultry, pasta, or grains.

Serves two

For the Green Emulsion (Makes about 200g)

• 100g unsalted butter
• 50g external lettuce greens from 2 little gems, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20g peeled roasted nuts – white nuts such as pine nuts help keep a vivid green, though whatever seeds will do
• 1 medium entire egg

For the Side

• Two romaine or butter lettuces, split lengthways
• Cold-pressed olive oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, to taste
• 1 small bunch soft herbs (like chervil), leaves left intact, stalks finely chopped

Steps

Begin by making the mayonnaise. Melt the butter in one medium pot, toss in the external salad greens, cover and wilt for approximately a minute, stirring once or twice, until they’ve softened. Transfer the contents into the container of an immersion processor, add the nuts and whole egg, then process until smooth. As necessary, incorporate extra nuts to get the thick texture. Keep in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to three days.

For assemble the salad, sprinkle each gem half with oil and lemon juice, then salt liberally. Coat with a zigzag pattern of the green emulsion, then top with the greens. Arrange on two dishes and enjoy immediately.