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Modeled after a popular NYC restaurant, the creative method turns usually thrown-out outer lettuce leaves into an smooth herbaceous “mayonnaise”. This is a ingenious approach to minimize kitchen waste while creating something flavorful and versatile.

The Reason Repurpose External Salad Greens?

Those outer greens serve as nature’s protective packaging, guarding the delicate inside lettuce. While recycling vegetable scraps is a fundamental sustainable habit, discovering new uses for them is even more beneficial. Converting excess food into rich soil avoids dump buildup, where it may release greenhouse gases, a powerful climate issue.

It’s rather radical when you consider over it: produce rots and becomes that ideal growing medium to nourish more crops, thereby closing this cycle and respecting the process of life.

However, given over 30% surplus food getting made than needed, using valuable ingredients efficiently becomes essential. Minimizing waste not only conserves money but also promotes the more eco-friendly way of living.

The Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Recipe

The versatile recipe works with any type of lettuce and nuts. By incorporating a whole egg, one eliminate the need to use up the extra white. The outcome is an creamy, rich sauce that pairs perfectly with salads, grilled vegetables, seared poultry, pasta, or grains.

Serves 2

For the Green Emulsion (Makes approximately 200g)

• 100 grams butter
• 50g outer lettuce leaves of two romaine or butter lettuce, washed and dried
• 20g peeled salted nuts – light-colored seeds such as pine nuts help maintain the vivid color, though any nuts can do
• One small entire egg

To Make the Side

• 2 little gem heads, halved lengthways
• Extra-virgin oil, as needed
• Fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• One small bunch soft herbs (such as chervil), sprigs picked whole, stems finely minced

Steps

First making the emulsion. Melt the fat in a small pot, toss in the outer lettuce leaves, cover and wilt for about a minute, mixing once or twice, till they’ve wilted. Pour the mixture into the jug of an immersion blender, add the nuts and egg, then process until creamy. If needed, incorporate extra nuts to get the thick consistency. Keep in a airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to three days.

To prepare the dish, sprinkle each gem portion with oil and lemon juice, then season generously. Dress with one zigzag pattern of the herb mayonnaise, then top with the herbs. Arrange on two plates and enjoy immediately.