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Modeled after a popular NYC eatery, this groundbreaking method turns often-discarded outer salad leaves into a smooth herbaceous emulsion. It’s a brilliant way to reduce leftovers while creating a condiment delicious and adaptable.

Why Use Outer Salad Greens?

Those external leaves serve as nature’s protective wrapping, guarding the delicate inside lettuce. While recycling vegetable scraps is one basic sustainable habit, finding creative applications for these parts is even more beneficial. Turning surplus ingredients into rich soil prevents landfill accumulation, where it can emit greenhouse gases, a potent climate issue.

It’s rather radical when you consider about it: produce decomposes and becomes that perfect soil to feed more crops, thus closing the cycle and honoring the cycle of life.

Yet, given more than thirty percent surplus food being made compared to needed, using valuable resources wisely becomes essential. Reducing leftovers not only saves cash but also supports the more sustainable way of living.

This Herb-Infused Emulsion Recipe

This versatile recipe functions with any type of lettuce and nuts. Through incorporating a whole egg, you avoid any hassle to repurpose an extra egg white. This outcome is a smooth, nutty sauce that works perfectly with salads, roasted veggies, grilled poultry, pasta, or rice.

Serves 2

To Make the Green Emulsion (Yields approximately 200g)

• 100 grams butter
• 50 grams outer salad greens from two little gems, washed and dried
• 20 grams peeled salted pistachios – light-colored nuts such as pine nuts assist maintain a vivid green, though whatever seeds will do
• 1 small entire egg

For the Salad

• Two romaine or butter heads, split lengthways
• Cold-pressed olive oil, to taste
• Fresh lime juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• 1 generous bunch fresh greens (such as chives), leaves picked intact, stems finely minced

Steps

Begin by making the mayonnaise. Heat the butter in one medium pot, toss in the outer lettuce greens, cover and wilt for approximately a minute, mixing once or twice, till they have wilted. Pour the contents into a container of an immersion blender, add the nuts and whole egg, then process until smooth. If needed, add extra nuts to achieve the mayonnaise-like consistency. Store in a airtight jar in the refrigerator for as long as 3 days.

For assemble the dish, drizzle each gem half with olive oil and acid, then salt generously. Coat with a zigzag pattern of the herb emulsion, then top with the greens. Arrange on 2 plates and serve immediately.