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Inspired by a well-known NYC eatery, the groundbreaking technique turns typically wasted external salad leaves into an luxurious herbaceous emulsion. It’s an ingenious way to reduce food waste while producing a condiment delicious and adaptable.

The Reason Repurpose External Lettuce Leaves?

Those external leaves serve as nature’s natural wrapping, guarding the tender inner leaves. While composting produce scraps is one fundamental sustainable habit, finding new uses for them is additionally impactful. Converting excess ingredients into rich compost prevents dump buildup, where they can release methane, which is a potent environmental concern.

It’s quite radical if you think over it: produce rots and transforms into that ideal soil to feed more plants, thereby completing the cycle and honoring nature’s process of life.

Yet, with more than 30% surplus food getting produced than needed, consuming precious resources efficiently is essential. Reducing waste not only conserves money but also promotes the increasingly eco-friendly way of living.

This Herb-Infused Emulsion Recipe

The versatile formula works with any type of salad greens and nuts. Through using one whole egg, one avoid the need to use up the extra egg white. The result is an creamy, nutty sauce that works beautifully with greens, roasted veggies, grilled chicken, noodles, or rice.

Serves two

For the Green Emulsion (Makes about 200g)

• 100 grams butter
• 50g external salad leaves from 2 little gems, washed and dried
• 20 grams shelled roasted pistachios – light-colored nuts like cashews help keep a vivid color, though any seeds will do
• 1 small entire egg

For the Salad

• Two little gem heads, halved longwise
• Cold-pressed oil, to taste
• Fresh lime juice or white-wine vinegar, to taste
• 1 small handful soft greens (like parsley), leaves left whole, stems thinly chopped

Instructions

Begin by preparing the emulsion. Melt the butter in one small pot, toss in the external lettuce greens, place a lid and wilt for approximately a minute, stirring a couple times, until they’ve softened. Transfer the contents into the container of an stick blender, include the nuts and whole egg, then blend till creamy. As necessary, add extra nuts to achieve the thick consistency. Store in an sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To assemble the dish, sprinkle each gem portion with oil and lemon juice, then season liberally. Coat with a zigzag drizzle of the green mayonnaise, then top with the greens. Place on two plates and enjoy immediately.