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Inspired by a popular New York restaurant, the creative method converts usually thrown-out external salad leaves into a velvety green “mayonnaise”. This is an smart way to minimize leftovers while making something flavorful and versatile.

Why Repurpose External Salad Leaves?

These outer leaves serve as nature’s protective packaging, guarding the delicate inner lettuce. Although recycling produce scraps is one fundamental sustainable practice, finding creative uses for these parts is even more beneficial. Converting surplus ingredients into rich soil prevents dump accumulation, where they can release methane, which is a powerful climate issue.

This is rather innovative when you consider over it: food rots and transforms into that perfect growing medium to nourish more plants, thus closing the loop and honoring the process of life.

However, given over thirty percent extra produce being made than needed, consuming valuable resources wisely is crucial. Minimizing leftovers not only conserves money but also promotes the increasingly eco-friendly lifestyle.

The Green “Mayonnaise” Method

This versatile recipe works with any type of salad greens and nuts. Through using a whole egg, you avoid any hassle to repurpose the leftover egg white. This outcome is an creamy, nutty sauce that pairs beautifully with salads, grilled vegetables, seared poultry, noodles, or grains.

Serves 2

For the Herb Emulsion (Yields about 200 grams)

• 100g butter
• 50g outer salad leaves of 2 little gems, rinsed and dried
• 20g shelled roasted nuts – white seeds like cashews assist keep the bright green, but whatever seeds can do
• 1 small entire egg

To Make the Salad

• Two little gem heads, split longwise
• Cold-pressed oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• One small handful soft greens (like chives), leaves picked intact, stalks finely chopped

Instructions

Begin by making the mayonnaise. Melt the fat in a medium saucepan, add the external lettuce leaves, place a lid and wilt for about 60 seconds, mixing a couple times, till they have softened. Transfer the contents into the jug of an immersion processor, add the nuts and whole egg, then blend till smooth. If needed, incorporate more seeds to achieve a mayonnaise-like consistency. Store in a airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

For prepare the salad, drizzle each gem half with olive oil and lemon juice, then season generously. Dress with one zigzag pattern of the herb emulsion, then top with the herbs. Arrange on 2 dishes and serve immediately.