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Modeled after a well-known NYC restaurant, the groundbreaking technique turns typically wasted outer salad leaves into an luxurious green emulsion. This is a ingenious way to reduce kitchen waste while making a condiment delicious and flexible.

Why Use External Salad Greens?

These outer greens are nature’s natural packaging, shielding the tender inside leaves. While recycling produce scraps is one fundamental zero-waste practice, finding creative applications for these parts is even more beneficial. Turning excess food into fertile compost prevents landfill buildup, where they may emit greenhouse gases, which is a potent climate concern.

It’s rather innovative if you think over it: produce decomposes and transforms into that ideal growing medium to nourish more plants, thereby closing this cycle and honoring nature’s cycle of life.

Yet, given over thirty percent surplus food getting produced compared to needed, consuming precious resources efficiently is essential. Minimizing leftovers not only saves money but also supports the increasingly sustainable way of living.

This Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Recipe

This adaptable formula functions with whatever type of salad greens and nuts. Through incorporating a entire egg, you eliminate any need to repurpose the extra white. This outcome is a smooth, nutty dressing that works perfectly with salads, grilled veggies, seared chicken, pasta, or grains.

Yields two

For the Green Emulsion (Yields approximately 200g)

• 100g butter
• 50 grams external lettuce leaves from 2 romaine or butter lettuce, washed and dried
• 20g shelled roasted nuts – white nuts like pine nuts help keep a bright color, but whatever seeds can work
• One medium whole egg

To Make the Side

• 2 little gem heads, halved lengthways
• Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• Fresh lime juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• One small bunch soft greens (such as parsley), sprigs picked intact, stems thinly minced

Steps

Begin by preparing the emulsion. Melt the fat in a medium saucepan, add the outer salad leaves, place a lid and cook for approximately a minute, mixing a couple times, until they’ve wilted. Transfer this mixture into the container of a immersion blender, include the pistachios and whole egg, then process until smooth. If needed, incorporate extra seeds to achieve a thick consistency. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

For assemble the salad, sprinkle each lettuce portion with oil and lemon juice, then season liberally. Coat with one zigzag pattern of the green emulsion, then top with the herbs. Arrange on two plates and enjoy right away.