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Inspired by an acclaimed New York restaurant, this groundbreaking method transforms typically wasted outer salad leaves into a smooth green emulsion. It’s an ingenious approach to minimize food waste while making a condiment delicious and versatile.

The Reason Use External Lettuce Greens?

Those external greens serve as nature’s natural packaging, guarding the delicate inside lettuce. Although recycling vegetable scraps is a basic zero-waste habit, finding creative uses for these parts is even more impactful. Converting surplus food into rich soil prevents dump accumulation, where it can emit methane, which is a potent climate issue.

It’s rather innovative when you think about it: food decomposes and transforms into the perfect growing medium to nourish further plants, thereby completing this loop and respecting the process of growth.

However, given over 30% extra food getting made compared to required, consuming precious ingredients wisely is essential. Minimizing waste not only saves cash but also promotes the increasingly eco-friendly way of living.

This Green Emulsion Method

This adaptable recipe functions with any type of lettuce and seeds. By using one whole egg, one avoid any hassle to repurpose the extra white. This outcome is an smooth, nutty sauce that works perfectly with salads, grilled veggies, grilled poultry, pasta, or grains.

Serves 2

To Make the Green Emulsion (Makes approximately 200 grams)

• 100 grams butter
• 50 grams external salad leaves from 2 romaine or butter lettuce, washed and dried
• 20 grams peeled roasted nuts – light-colored nuts such as pine nuts help maintain a vivid color, though any seeds will work
• One small entire egg

To Make the Side

• Two little gem heads, halved lengthways
• Cold-pressed oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, to taste
• One small bunch fresh herbs (like parsley), sprigs left intact, stems finely chopped

Steps

First making the mayonnaise. Heat the fat in a medium saucepan, add the outer salad greens, place a lid and wilt for approximately a minute, mixing once or twice, until they’ve wilted. Transfer the contents into the jug of an immersion processor, add the nuts and egg, then process until creamy. If needed, incorporate more nuts to get a mayonnaise-like texture. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To assemble the dish, drizzle each gem half with oil and acid, then salt liberally. Coat with a zigzag drizzle of the green emulsion, then scatter with the greens. Place on 2 plates and serve right away.