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Modeled after a popular NYC eatery, the groundbreaking method converts often-discarded external salad leaves into a luxurious herbaceous emulsion. This is an ingenious approach to reduce kitchen waste while creating a condiment flavorful and adaptable.

Why Use Outer Salad Greens?

Those outer greens are the plant’s natural packaging, guarding the delicate inner lettuce. Although recycling produce trimmings is one fundamental zero-waste practice, discovering new uses for these parts is additionally beneficial. Turning excess food into rich compost avoids landfill buildup, where it can release greenhouse gases, which is a potent climate issue.

This is quite radical if you consider over it: food decomposes and becomes that perfect growing medium to nourish further plants, thereby completing this cycle and respecting the cycle of growth.

Yet, with over thirty percent surplus produce getting produced than needed, using valuable resources wisely becomes essential. Minimizing leftovers not only conserves money but also promotes a more sustainable lifestyle.

This Green Emulsion Recipe

The versatile formula works with whatever variety of salad greens and seeds. By using one entire egg, you avoid the need to repurpose an leftover white. This outcome is a creamy, rich sauce that works perfectly with greens, roasted veggies, grilled poultry, noodles, or rice.

Serves two

For the Herb Emulsion (Yields about 200 grams)

• 100g butter
• 50 grams outer salad greens from two romaine or butter lettuce, washed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams shelled salted pistachios – light-colored seeds like blanched almonds assist maintain a vivid green, but whatever seeds can do
• One medium entire egg

For the Side

• 2 romaine or butter lettuces, split longwise
• Extra-virgin oil, as needed
• Fresh lime juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• One generous handful fresh herbs (such as chives), sprigs left whole, stalks finely chopped

Steps

Begin by preparing the mayonnaise. Heat the butter in one small pot, add the external lettuce greens, cover and cook for about a minute, stirring a couple times, till they have softened. Pour this mixture into a jug of an stick blender, add the nuts and egg, then process till smooth. If needed, add extra nuts to get the thick texture. Keep in a airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

For assemble the dish, drizzle each lettuce half with oil and lemon juice, then season liberally. Coat with one zigzag pattern of the green emulsion, then top with the greens. Arrange on 2 dishes and serve immediately.