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Drawing from an acclaimed New York eatery, this groundbreaking method turns usually thrown-out external lettuce leaves into an velvety herbaceous “mayonnaise”. It’s an smart way to cut down on leftovers while producing a condiment tasty and adaptable.

The Reason Use External Lettuce Greens?

Those external leaves are the plant’s protective packaging, guarding the delicate inside lettuce. While composting vegetable scraps is one fundamental sustainable practice, finding new applications for them is additionally beneficial. Converting excess food into rich soil avoids landfill accumulation, where it may release greenhouse gases, which is a potent environmental issue.

It’s quite radical when you consider about it: produce decomposes and becomes that ideal soil to nourish more crops, thus closing this loop and honoring nature’s process of growth.

However, with over 30% extra produce getting made compared to required, using valuable ingredients efficiently is essential. Reducing waste not only conserves cash but also promotes the more sustainable lifestyle.

The Green Emulsion Method

This versatile recipe works with whatever type of lettuce and seeds. Through using a whole egg, you avoid any need to repurpose an leftover egg white. The result is an creamy, nutty dressing that works perfectly with salads, grilled veggies, seared poultry, pasta, or grains.

Yields 2

To Make the Green Emulsion (Yields approximately 200g)

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 50g external salad leaves of 2 romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20g peeled roasted nuts – white seeds like pine nuts help keep the bright color, though any nuts can do
• 1 small whole egg

For the Salad

• Two little gem heads, split longwise
• Cold-pressed oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• One generous bunch fresh herbs (like chives), sprigs left whole, stems thinly minced

Instructions

First making the emulsion. Melt the butter in one medium pot, add the outer lettuce greens, place a lid and cook for about 60 seconds, stirring once or twice, till they have softened. Transfer this contents into the container of an immersion processor, include the nuts and egg, then blend until smooth. As necessary, incorporate more nuts to get a mayonnaise-like consistency. Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for as long as three days.

For assemble the salad, sprinkle each gem portion with oil and lemon juice, then salt liberally. Dress with one tight drizzle of the green mayonnaise, then top with the greens. Arrange on two plates and enjoy immediately.