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Inspired by a well-known NYC eatery, the innovative method turns typically wasted external salad greens into an smooth herbaceous emulsion. It’s an ingenious approach to minimize food waste while creating a condiment delicious and versatile.

The Reason Use Outer Salad Leaves?

Those outer leaves are nature’s protective wrapping, guarding the delicate inside leaves. While recycling produce trimmings is one fundamental zero-waste habit, finding creative applications for these parts is additionally impactful. Turning excess ingredients into rich soil avoids landfill buildup, where they can emit methane, which is a potent climate issue.

It’s rather innovative if you think about it: food decomposes and transforms into the perfect soil to nourish more crops, thereby closing the loop and honoring nature’s process of life.

However, given more than thirty percent surplus food getting made than required, consuming precious ingredients efficiently becomes essential. Reducing leftovers not only conserves money but also supports a more sustainable lifestyle.

This Green “Mayonnaise” Method

The versatile recipe works with whatever type of salad greens and nuts. Through incorporating a entire egg, you avoid any need to use up an leftover white. The result is a smooth, nutty dressing that pairs perfectly with greens, roasted vegetables, seared chicken, noodles, or rice.

Serves two

For the Green Emulsion (Yields approximately 200 grams)

• 100g unsalted butter
• 50g external salad greens from two romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and dried
• 20g shelled roasted nuts – light-colored seeds like cashews help keep the vivid green, but any nuts will do
• 1 small entire egg

For the Side

• Two romaine or butter heads, halved longwise
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
• Fresh lime juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• 1 small handful soft herbs (like chervil), sprigs left intact, stalks finely chopped

Steps

Begin by making the emulsion. Heat the butter in one small saucepan, toss in the outer lettuce leaves, cover and wilt for approximately a minute, mixing a couple times, until they have wilted. Transfer the contents into the jug of a stick processor, add the pistachios and egg, then process until smooth. As necessary, incorporate extra seeds to get the thick texture. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To assemble the salad, drizzle each lettuce portion with olive oil and lemon juice, then season liberally. Dress with a tight pattern of the green mayonnaise, then scatter with the herbs. Place on 2 plates and enjoy right away.