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Inspired by a popular New York eatery, the innovative method converts typically wasted external salad leaves into an luxurious green “mayonnaise”. It’s an ingenious approach to reduce kitchen waste while producing something tasty and flexible.

Why Use External Lettuce Leaves?

Those external leaves serve as nature’s protective packaging, guarding the delicate inner leaves. While composting produce scraps is one basic sustainable habit, discovering creative uses for these parts is additionally impactful. Turning excess food into rich compost avoids dump buildup, where it may release greenhouse gases, a powerful climate concern.

This is quite innovative if you consider about it: produce decomposes and becomes that ideal soil to nourish further plants, thereby closing the cycle and honoring nature’s cycle of growth.

Yet, with more than 30% surplus food getting made than needed, using valuable ingredients efficiently is crucial. Minimizing waste not only conserves money but also promotes the more eco-friendly way of living.

This Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Method

This adaptable recipe works with any type of salad greens and seeds. Through using one whole egg, you avoid the need to use up the extra egg white. The result is a creamy, nutty sauce that works perfectly with salads, roasted veggies, seared poultry, pasta, or grains.

Serves 2

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

• 100 grams butter
• 50 grams outer salad greens from 2 romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and dried
• 20g shelled roasted nuts – white nuts like cashews assist keep a vivid green, though any nuts will do
• One medium entire egg

For the Side

• 2 little gem lettuces, split lengthways
• Cold-pressed oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• 1 small bunch soft greens (such as chervil), leaves picked intact, stalks thinly minced

Steps

Begin by making the emulsion. Heat the butter in a medium pot, toss in the outer lettuce greens, place a lid and wilt for about a minute, mixing once or twice, until they have wilted. Transfer the mixture into the jug of an stick processor, add the nuts and whole egg, then blend until creamy. As necessary, incorporate extra seeds to get a thick consistency. Keep in a airtight jar in the fridge for up to three days.

To assemble the salad, sprinkle each lettuce portion with olive oil and acid, then salt liberally. Dress with one zigzag pattern of the herb emulsion, then top with the herbs. Arrange on 2 plates and serve right away.