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Inspired by a well-known NYC eatery, the innovative method transforms typically wasted outer lettuce greens into an velvety green emulsion. This is a ingenious way to cut down on leftovers while producing something delicious and adaptable.

Why Use Outer Salad Greens?

Those outer leaves are the plant’s natural wrapping, guarding the delicate inner leaves. Although recycling produce trimmings is one fundamental sustainable practice, discovering new applications for these parts is additionally impactful. Turning surplus food into rich soil avoids landfill buildup, where they can release methane, which is a powerful environmental issue.

This is rather radical if you think over it: food decomposes and transforms into the perfect growing medium to feed further plants, thereby closing this cycle and honoring the process of life.

Yet, given more than 30% surplus food being produced than needed, consuming valuable ingredients efficiently becomes essential. Minimizing waste not only saves money but also supports a more sustainable way of living.

The Herb-Infused Emulsion Method

The adaptable formula functions with whatever type of salad greens and nuts. By incorporating a whole egg, one eliminate the need to use up the leftover white. This result is an creamy, nutty sauce that works beautifully with salads, roasted veggies, grilled poultry, pasta, or rice.

Yields two

For the Herb Emulsion (Yields about 200g)

• 100g unsalted butter
• 50g external lettuce greens from 2 romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams peeled roasted pistachios – light-colored nuts like blanched almonds assist maintain a bright green, but any seeds will work
• 1 small entire egg

For the Side

• Two romaine or butter heads, halved lengthways
• Cold-pressed oil, to taste
• Fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• One generous bunch fresh greens (such as chervil), sprigs picked intact, stalks thinly minced

Instructions

Begin by making the mayonnaise. Heat the butter in one medium pot, toss in the external lettuce greens, cover and wilt for approximately a minute, mixing a couple times, till they’ve wilted. Transfer the contents into a jug of an immersion blender, include the pistachios and whole egg, then process till creamy. If needed, add more nuts to get a thick consistency. Store in an sealed jar in the fridge for up to three days.

For assemble the dish, drizzle each gem half with oil and acid, then salt liberally. Coat with a zigzag pattern of the herb emulsion, then scatter with the greens. Place on 2 dishes and serve immediately.