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Inspired by a well-known NYC restaurant, the innovative technique transforms often-discarded outer lettuce leaves into a luxurious herbaceous emulsion. This is a brilliant way to minimize leftovers while creating something tasty and adaptable.

Why Use Outer Lettuce Greens?

Those outer leaves are nature’s protective packaging, guarding the tender inner leaves. While composting vegetable scraps is one fundamental zero-waste habit, discovering new applications for them is even more beneficial. Turning excess ingredients into fertile compost prevents dump buildup, where they can emit greenhouse gases, a potent climate concern.

This is quite innovative if you consider about it: produce rots and transforms into that ideal growing medium to nourish more crops, thereby completing this loop and respecting nature’s cycle of growth.

However, with more than 30% extra food getting made than required, using valuable resources efficiently is essential. Reducing leftovers not only saves money but also supports the more sustainable lifestyle.

This Green Emulsion Method

The adaptable formula functions with whatever type of lettuce and nuts. By using one entire egg, you eliminate the hassle to use up the leftover egg white. The outcome is a smooth, nutty sauce that works beautifully with greens, roasted veggies, grilled chicken, noodles, or rice.

Yields two

To Make the Herb “Mayonnaise” (Makes about 200 grams)

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 50g external salad leaves from 2 romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20g shelled salted pistachios – white nuts like blanched almonds assist maintain a bright color, but whatever seeds will do
• 1 medium entire egg

For the Salad

• 2 romaine or butter heads, split longwise
• Cold-pressed olive oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, to taste
• 1 generous bunch soft herbs (like chervil), leaves picked intact, stalks thinly minced

Steps

Begin by preparing the mayonnaise. Heat the fat in a small saucepan, add the external lettuce greens, cover and cook for approximately 60 seconds, mixing a couple times, till they have softened. Pour the mixture into the jug of an stick blender, add the nuts and whole egg, then blend until smooth. If needed, incorporate extra seeds to achieve a mayonnaise-like consistency. Store in an sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

For assemble the salad, sprinkle each gem half with olive oil and acid, then salt liberally. Coat with a zigzag pattern of the herb mayonnaise, then top with the herbs. Place on two dishes and serve right away.