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Modeled after an acclaimed New York restaurant, this creative technique transforms usually thrown-out external salad leaves into a luxurious green emulsion. This is an brilliant way to reduce leftovers while creating something tasty and flexible.

Why Use External Lettuce Greens?

These outer greens serve as nature’s protective packaging, shielding the tender inner leaves. Although recycling vegetable trimmings is a fundamental zero-waste habit, discovering new uses for them is even more beneficial. Converting excess ingredients into fertile soil prevents landfill buildup, where it may release greenhouse gases, a powerful climate issue.

It’s rather innovative if you consider over it: food rots and becomes the ideal growing medium to nourish further crops, thereby closing this loop and respecting the process of growth.

Yet, with more than 30% surplus produce getting made compared to needed, using valuable resources wisely becomes crucial. Minimizing leftovers not only conserves cash but also supports the increasingly eco-friendly lifestyle.

This Green Emulsion Recipe

The adaptable recipe functions with any type of lettuce and seeds. By using one whole egg, one avoid the need to use up the extra egg white. This outcome is an creamy, nutty dressing that pairs perfectly with greens, grilled vegetables, seared poultry, noodles, or rice.

Yields two

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

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 50 grams outer salad leaves of two little gems, washed and dried
• 20 grams shelled salted nuts – white seeds like pine nuts help keep a bright green, though any seeds can do
• 1 small entire egg

To Make the Side

• Two little gem lettuces, split lengthways
• Cold-pressed oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• 1 small bunch fresh herbs (like dill), leaves picked intact, stems finely chopped

Steps

First preparing the emulsion. Melt the fat in a small saucepan, add the outer salad leaves, place a lid and wilt for approximately 60 seconds, stirring once or twice, till they have softened. Pour the contents into a jug of an stick blender, add the nuts and whole egg, then process until smooth. As necessary, add extra seeds to achieve a mayonnaise-like consistency. Keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To assemble the salad, sprinkle each gem portion with olive oil and acid, then salt liberally. Dress with a tight pattern of the herb mayonnaise, then top with the greens. Arrange on two dishes and enjoy right away.