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Modeled after a popular NYC eatery, the creative method converts often-discarded outer salad leaves into a smooth herbaceous “mayonnaise”. It’s a brilliant way to minimize leftovers while making a condiment delicious and versatile.

The Reason Use External Lettuce Leaves?

Those external leaves are the plant’s protective packaging, guarding the delicate inner lettuce. While composting vegetable trimmings is one fundamental zero-waste practice, finding creative applications for these parts is additionally impactful. Converting surplus food into fertile soil avoids landfill accumulation, where it can emit methane, a powerful climate concern.

It’s quite innovative when you think about it: produce rots and transforms into that ideal soil to nourish further plants, thus completing the loop and respecting nature’s cycle of growth.

However, with more than thirty percent extra produce getting produced compared to needed, consuming valuable resources efficiently becomes essential. Minimizing waste not only saves money but also promotes a increasingly eco-friendly lifestyle.

This Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Recipe

The versatile recipe works with whatever type of lettuce and seeds. Through incorporating a whole egg, you avoid the hassle to use up the leftover egg white. This result is a smooth, rich dressing that works perfectly with salads, roasted vegetables, grilled poultry, noodles, or grains.

Yields 2

For the Green Emulsion (Yields approximately 200 grams)

• 100g unsalted butter
• 50 grams outer salad greens from two romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20g shelled salted nuts – white seeds such as pine nuts assist keep a bright color, but any seeds can do
• 1 medium whole egg

To Make the Salad

• Two little gem heads, split lengthways
• Cold-pressed oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• 1 generous bunch fresh herbs (like parsley), leaves picked intact, stems finely chopped

Steps

First preparing the mayonnaise. Melt the butter in a small pot, toss in the outer salad greens, cover and wilt for approximately 60 seconds, mixing a couple times, until they’ve softened. Transfer this contents into the jug of a stick processor, include the nuts and whole egg, then blend until creamy. As necessary, incorporate extra seeds to achieve a mayonnaise-like texture. Store in a airtight container in the refrigerator for as long as three days.

To prepare the salad, drizzle each gem half with olive oil and lemon juice, then salt generously. Coat with a tight drizzle of the green emulsion, then scatter with the herbs. Arrange on 2 dishes and serve right away.