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Inspired by a well-known New York eatery, the groundbreaking method transforms typically wasted external salad leaves into a velvety green emulsion. This is a smart approach to minimize leftovers while producing something flavorful and versatile.

The Reason Repurpose Outer Salad Leaves?

Those outer leaves are nature’s protective wrapping, guarding the tender inside leaves. While composting produce scraps is a basic sustainable practice, discovering new applications for them is even more beneficial. Turning excess food into fertile soil avoids landfill accumulation, where it may emit methane, which is a powerful environmental concern.

It’s quite radical if you consider over it: produce rots and becomes the ideal growing medium to nourish more plants, thus closing the loop and respecting the process of growth.

Yet, with more than thirty percent surplus food getting produced than needed, using valuable resources wisely is essential. Reducing waste not only conserves cash but also promotes a increasingly sustainable way of living.

This Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Method

This adaptable formula functions with whatever variety of salad greens and nuts. Through incorporating a whole egg, one eliminate the need to repurpose an leftover white. This result is a creamy, rich dressing that pairs perfectly with greens, grilled vegetables, seared chicken, noodles, or rice.

Yields 2

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

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 50 grams external lettuce leaves from 2 little gems, washed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams peeled salted nuts – light-colored seeds such as blanched almonds assist keep the vivid green, though any seeds will do
• 1 small entire egg

For the Salad

• Two little gem heads, halved longwise
• Cold-pressed olive oil, to taste
• Fresh lime juice or white-wine vinegar, to taste
• 1 small bunch soft greens (like chives), sprigs picked intact, stalks thinly chopped

Instructions

First preparing the emulsion. Heat the fat in one small saucepan, toss in the outer lettuce leaves, cover and wilt for about a minute, stirring a couple times, till they’ve wilted. Transfer this mixture into the jug of an immersion blender, add the nuts and whole egg, then blend until smooth. If needed, add more nuts to get a thick consistency. Keep in an sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To prepare the dish, drizzle each lettuce portion with olive oil and acid, then salt generously. Dress with a tight pattern of the green emulsion, then scatter with the herbs. Place on 2 plates and enjoy immediately.