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Inspired by an acclaimed New York eatery, this groundbreaking technique transforms typically wasted outer lettuce greens into an velvety green emulsion. It’s a brilliant approach to minimize leftovers while creating something tasty and versatile.

Why Use Outer Salad Leaves?

These external greens are the plant’s natural wrapping, guarding the delicate inner leaves. While composting produce scraps is a basic zero-waste practice, finding new uses for these parts is even more impactful. Turning excess ingredients into fertile soil prevents landfill accumulation, where they may emit greenhouse gases, a powerful environmental issue.

It’s quite innovative when you think over it: produce rots and transforms into that ideal growing medium to feed further plants, thereby closing the cycle and honoring nature’s cycle of life.

However, given over 30% extra produce being produced compared to required, using valuable resources wisely becomes crucial. Minimizing waste not only saves money but also promotes a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

The Green “Mayonnaise” Method

This versatile formula functions with any type of salad greens and nuts. By incorporating a whole egg, you eliminate any need to repurpose the extra egg white. This outcome is an creamy, nutty sauce that works beautifully with greens, grilled vegetables, seared poultry, noodles, or rice.

Serves 2

For the Green “Mayonnaise” (Yields about 200g)

• 100 grams butter
• 50g external salad greens of 2 romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20g shelled roasted nuts – light-colored seeds like pine nuts assist maintain the vivid green, but whatever seeds can work
• One small entire egg

For the Side

• 2 romaine or butter heads, halved longwise
• Extra-virgin oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• 1 small bunch fresh herbs (like dill), sprigs left whole, stalks thinly minced

Steps

Begin by making the emulsion. Melt the fat in a medium saucepan, toss in the external salad leaves, place a lid and wilt for approximately 60 seconds, mixing once or twice, until they have softened. Transfer this contents into the jug of a stick blender, add the pistachios and whole egg, then process until creamy. As necessary, add more nuts to get a thick texture. Keep in a airtight jar in the fridge for up to three days.

For prepare the salad, drizzle each lettuce portion with olive oil and lemon juice, then season generously. Coat with one zigzag pattern of the green mayonnaise, then top with the herbs. Arrange on two plates and enjoy right away.