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Inspired by a popular New York restaurant, the creative technique transforms usually thrown-out external lettuce greens into a smooth herbaceous emulsion. It’s an brilliant approach to reduce kitchen waste while producing something delicious and flexible.

Why Use External Salad Greens?

These outer greens serve as nature’s natural wrapping, shielding the tender inside leaves. Although recycling vegetable trimmings is a fundamental sustainable habit, finding new applications for these parts is additionally beneficial. Converting excess ingredients into rich compost avoids dump accumulation, where it can release greenhouse gases, which is a powerful climate issue.

It’s quite innovative if you consider over it: produce rots and becomes that perfect growing medium to feed more crops, thereby closing the loop and honoring the cycle of life.

However, given over 30% surplus produce being produced compared to required, using precious ingredients wisely becomes essential. Reducing leftovers not only conserves money but also supports the increasingly sustainable lifestyle.

This Green “Mayonnaise” Method

The adaptable formula functions with any variety of lettuce and seeds. By using a entire egg, you eliminate any hassle to repurpose the leftover egg white. The result is an smooth, nutty sauce that pairs perfectly with salads, grilled veggies, seared chicken, noodles, or rice.

Serves two

For the Green Emulsion (Makes about 200g)

• 100 grams butter
• 50 grams outer lettuce leaves from 2 little gems, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams peeled salted nuts – white nuts like blanched almonds assist maintain a vivid green, though any seeds can do
• 1 medium entire egg

To Make the Salad

• Two romaine or butter lettuces, split longwise
• Extra-virgin oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, to taste
• 1 generous handful soft greens (such as chives), leaves picked intact, stems finely chopped

Steps

First making the emulsion. Heat the fat in one small saucepan, toss in the outer lettuce leaves, place a lid and cook for approximately 60 seconds, stirring a couple times, until they have wilted. Pour the mixture into the jug of an stick processor, include the nuts and whole egg, then blend until creamy. As necessary, add more seeds to achieve a thick consistency. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To prepare the salad, drizzle each gem portion with olive oil and acid, then salt generously. Coat with one zigzag drizzle of the green emulsion, then scatter with the herbs. Arrange on two plates and enjoy right away.