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Drawing from a well-known NYC restaurant, this creative method turns often-discarded external salad greens into a velvety green “mayonnaise”. It’s an ingenious approach to cut down on leftovers while creating something delicious and adaptable.

The Reason Repurpose External Lettuce Greens?

These outer greens are the plant’s natural wrapping, shielding the delicate inner leaves. Although recycling produce scraps is one basic zero-waste habit, discovering new uses for them is even more beneficial. Converting surplus food into rich compost prevents dump accumulation, where it may emit methane, which is a potent climate concern.

This is quite innovative if you consider over it: food rots and transforms into that ideal growing medium to feed further crops, thereby closing the loop and respecting nature’s cycle of growth.

Yet, with over 30% extra produce getting made than needed, consuming precious ingredients efficiently is essential. Reducing leftovers not only conserves money but also promotes the increasingly sustainable way of living.

The Green Emulsion Recipe

The adaptable formula works with whatever variety of lettuce and seeds. By using one whole egg, you avoid any need to repurpose the extra egg white. The result is a smooth, rich dressing that works perfectly with greens, roasted veggies, grilled poultry, noodles, or rice.

Serves 2

To Make the Herb Emulsion (Makes about 200 grams)

• 100g unsalted butter
• 50g external salad greens of two little gems, rinsed and dried
• 20 grams shelled salted nuts – white nuts such as cashews help maintain the vivid green, but whatever nuts can do
• One medium whole egg

To Make the Side

• 2 little gem lettuces, split longwise
• Cold-pressed oil, to taste
• Fresh lime juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• 1 small bunch soft greens (like chives), sprigs left intact, stalks thinly chopped

Steps

Begin by making the emulsion. Heat the fat in one medium pot, toss in the external salad greens, cover and cook for approximately 60 seconds, stirring a couple times, until they have softened. Transfer this mixture into a jug of a stick processor, add the pistachios and whole egg, then process until creamy. If needed, incorporate extra nuts to achieve a mayonnaise-like texture. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for as long as three days.

To prepare the salad, drizzle each lettuce portion with olive oil and lemon juice, then salt liberally. Dress with one tight pattern of the herb emulsion, then scatter with the greens. Arrange on 2 dishes and enjoy immediately.