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Drawing from an acclaimed NYC eatery, the groundbreaking technique transforms typically wasted outer lettuce greens into a velvety herbaceous emulsion. This is a ingenious approach to minimize food waste while creating something flavorful and versatile.

Why Repurpose Outer Lettuce Greens?

These external leaves serve as the plant’s natural wrapping, guarding the tender inner leaves. Although recycling produce trimmings is a fundamental sustainable habit, discovering new uses for them is additionally beneficial. Converting excess ingredients into fertile soil prevents dump accumulation, where they can emit methane, a powerful environmental issue.

It’s quite radical when you think about it: food decomposes and becomes the ideal growing medium to nourish more crops, thus closing the cycle and honoring nature’s cycle of life.

However, with over 30% extra food being produced compared to required, consuming valuable ingredients efficiently becomes crucial. Reducing leftovers not only saves cash but also promotes the increasingly eco-friendly lifestyle.

This Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Recipe

The versatile recipe functions with whatever type of lettuce and nuts. Through using one entire egg, you eliminate any need to use up the extra white. This result is a smooth, rich dressing that pairs perfectly with greens, grilled veggies, seared poultry, pasta, or grains.

Yields two

To Make the Green “Mayonnaise” (Yields about 200 grams)

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 50g external lettuce greens of 2 little gems, rinsed and dried
• 20g shelled salted nuts – light-colored seeds such as blanched almonds help maintain a vivid green, though any nuts can do
• 1 medium whole egg

To Make the Salad

• 2 romaine or butter lettuces, split longwise
• Cold-pressed olive oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• 1 small handful soft herbs (such as dill), leaves picked whole, stalks thinly chopped

Steps

Begin by preparing the mayonnaise. Heat the fat in one small saucepan, add the external lettuce greens, place a lid and cook for approximately a minute, stirring a couple times, until they have wilted. Pour the contents into the container of a stick blender, include the nuts and egg, then process until creamy. If needed, incorporate more nuts to achieve the mayonnaise-like consistency. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For prepare the salad, sprinkle each gem half with oil and acid, then salt liberally. Coat with a tight drizzle of the herb mayonnaise, then scatter with the greens. Arrange on two plates and serve immediately.