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Inspired by an acclaimed NYC restaurant, the innovative method turns often-discarded outer salad leaves into an smooth green emulsion. This is an brilliant way to cut down on food waste while creating something tasty and versatile.

Why Use Outer Salad Leaves?

Those outer leaves are the plant’s protective wrapping, shielding the delicate inside leaves. While composting produce scraps is a basic zero-waste habit, discovering creative uses for these parts is even more beneficial. Converting surplus food into fertile soil avoids landfill buildup, where it may release greenhouse gases, which is a potent environmental concern.

This is quite innovative if you think about it: produce rots and transforms into that perfect soil to nourish more crops, thus completing the loop and respecting the cycle of growth.

However, with over 30% extra produce being produced compared to required, consuming valuable ingredients efficiently becomes essential. Minimizing waste not only saves money but also promotes the increasingly sustainable way of living.

This Herb-Infused Emulsion Recipe

This versatile recipe works with any type of salad greens and seeds. By incorporating one entire egg, you avoid the need to use up an extra egg white. This outcome is a creamy, nutty sauce that works beautifully with salads, roasted vegetables, seared poultry, pasta, or grains.

Serves two

To Make the Green “Mayonnaise” (Yields approximately 200g)

• 100g butter
• 50g outer lettuce leaves from 2 little gems, rinsed and dried
• 20g peeled roasted pistachios – light-colored seeds such as cashews help maintain the vivid color, but any seeds can work
• 1 medium whole egg

To Make the Salad

• 2 little gem heads, split lengthways
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, to taste
• One generous handful soft herbs (like dill), leaves left intact, stalks thinly minced

Instructions

Begin by preparing the mayonnaise. Melt the fat in one small pot, toss in the outer lettuce leaves, cover and wilt for approximately a minute, stirring a couple times, till they’ve wilted. Transfer this mixture into a jug of a stick blender, include the pistachios and whole egg, then blend till creamy. If needed, incorporate more seeds to achieve a mayonnaise-like texture. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To prepare the dish, drizzle each lettuce portion with oil and lemon juice, then season liberally. Coat with a zigzag drizzle of the herb emulsion, then scatter with the greens. Place on 2 plates and enjoy right away.