🔗 Share this article

Inspired by a popular New York eatery, the groundbreaking method turns usually thrown-out outer salad greens into a luxurious herbaceous emulsion. This is an ingenious approach to reduce leftovers while making something tasty and adaptable.

The Reason Repurpose External Salad Leaves?

These outer leaves are the plant’s natural packaging, guarding the tender inside lettuce. While recycling produce scraps is a basic sustainable habit, discovering creative uses for these parts is additionally impactful. Converting surplus food into rich soil prevents dump accumulation, where they can release methane, which is a powerful environmental concern.

It’s quite radical if you consider about it: produce decomposes and becomes the perfect growing medium to feed further plants, thereby completing this cycle and respecting the cycle of life.

However, with more than thirty percent extra produce getting made than needed, using precious ingredients wisely is crucial. Minimizing waste not only saves money but also promotes the increasingly sustainable lifestyle.

The Green “Mayonnaise” Method

This versatile formula works with any type of salad greens and nuts. By using one whole egg, you avoid the need to repurpose an leftover egg white. This outcome is an smooth, nutty dressing that pairs perfectly with salads, roasted veggies, grilled chicken, pasta, or grains.

Yields 2

For the Herb “Mayonnaise” (Makes about 200 grams)

• 100g unsalted butter
• 50 grams external salad greens of 2 romaine or butter lettuce, washed and thoroughly dried
• 20g peeled salted nuts – light-colored seeds like pine nuts help maintain a bright green, but whatever seeds will work
• One small whole egg

For the Side

• Two romaine or butter lettuces, split lengthways
• Extra-virgin oil, to taste
• Fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• 1 small handful fresh greens (like chives), sprigs picked intact, stems finely minced

Steps

Begin by making the mayonnaise. Melt the fat in a medium pot, toss in the outer salad leaves, place a lid and wilt for approximately a minute, mixing a couple times, until they’ve softened. Pour this contents into a jug of an stick blender, add the nuts and whole egg, then blend until creamy. As necessary, add more seeds to get a thick consistency. Keep in an sealed container in the refrigerator for as long as three days.

To assemble the dish, sprinkle each lettuce portion with oil and acid, then season liberally. Coat with a zigzag drizzle of the herb mayonnaise, then scatter with the herbs. Arrange on two dishes and serve immediately.