🔗 Share this article

Drawing from a popular NYC restaurant, this innovative method transforms usually thrown-out outer lettuce leaves into an velvety green “mayonnaise”. It’s an brilliant way to cut down on leftovers while making a condiment delicious and flexible.

The Reason Use Outer Lettuce Leaves?

These outer leaves are nature’s protective wrapping, guarding the tender inside lettuce. Although recycling vegetable scraps is a fundamental zero-waste practice, discovering creative applications for them is additionally impactful. Turning excess food into rich soil avoids landfill buildup, where it may emit methane, which is a powerful climate issue.

It’s rather innovative when you consider about it: produce rots and becomes the ideal growing medium to feed further plants, thus closing the loop and respecting nature’s process of growth.

However, given over 30% extra produce getting made than required, using valuable resources wisely is crucial. Minimizing waste not only conserves cash but also promotes the more eco-friendly way of living.

This Green “Mayonnaise” Recipe

This adaptable recipe works with any type of lettuce and nuts. By incorporating a whole egg, you avoid any hassle to use up the leftover white. This result is a smooth, rich dressing that works beautifully with greens, roasted vegetables, seared chicken, noodles, or rice.

Serves 2

For the Herb Emulsion (Makes approximately 200 grams)

• 100g unsalted butter
• 50 grams outer salad leaves from two romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams peeled roasted pistachios – light-colored seeds like pine nuts assist keep a bright green, though whatever nuts will do
• One medium whole egg

For the Side

• 2 little gem heads, halved longwise
• Extra-virgin oil, to taste
• Fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar, to taste
• One small bunch fresh greens (such as chervil), sprigs picked intact, stems finely minced

Instructions

First preparing the mayonnaise. Melt the fat in a small saucepan, add the external salad leaves, place a lid and wilt for about 60 seconds, mixing a couple times, until they have softened. Pour this mixture into the jug of a immersion processor, add the nuts and whole egg, then process until creamy. If needed, incorporate more nuts to achieve the thick consistency. Keep in an sealed jar in the refrigerator for as long as three days.

For assemble the dish, drizzle each gem portion with olive oil and acid, then salt liberally. Dress with one zigzag drizzle of the green emulsion, then scatter with the herbs. Place on two plates and serve right away.