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Modeled after a popular NYC eatery, this innovative method transforms usually thrown-out external salad greens into a smooth herbaceous “mayonnaise”. It’s a smart approach to reduce leftovers while producing something delicious and adaptable.

Why Repurpose Outer Salad Greens?

These external leaves serve as nature’s natural wrapping, guarding the delicate inside lettuce. While composting vegetable scraps is a fundamental zero-waste practice, finding new uses for them is even more impactful. Converting surplus food into rich soil prevents landfill buildup, where it can release methane, which is a potent environmental issue.

This is quite radical when you consider over it: food rots and becomes the perfect soil to feed further plants, thus completing the loop and respecting nature’s cycle of life.

However, with more than thirty percent surplus food getting made than needed, using precious resources efficiently is essential. Minimizing waste not only saves money but also supports a increasingly eco-friendly lifestyle.

This Herb-Infused Emulsion Method

This adaptable recipe functions with any variety of lettuce and nuts. Through incorporating one entire egg, you avoid the hassle to use up the extra white. The result is a creamy, nutty dressing that works perfectly with greens, grilled vegetables, seared chicken, pasta, or rice.

Yields two

For the Herb “Mayonnaise” (Yields about 200g)

• 100g unsalted butter
• 50g external salad greens of 2 romaine or butter lettuce, washed and dried
• 20 grams shelled salted pistachios – white nuts such as pine nuts assist maintain a bright green, though any nuts can work
• One small whole egg

For the Salad

• 2 little gem lettuces, split lengthways
• Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• Fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• 1 generous handful soft herbs (such as chives), sprigs picked whole, stems thinly minced

Steps

First preparing the mayonnaise. Heat the butter in one medium saucepan, toss in the outer lettuce leaves, place a lid and wilt for approximately 60 seconds, mixing a couple times, till they’ve wilted. Transfer this contents into the jug of a stick blender, include the pistachios and egg, then blend till creamy. As necessary, incorporate more nuts to get the mayonnaise-like consistency. Store in an sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For assemble the salad, drizzle each gem half with olive oil and lemon juice, then season generously. Dress with a zigzag pattern of the herb mayonnaise, then top with the herbs. Arrange on 2 plates and serve right away.