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Modeled after a popular New York eatery, this groundbreaking method transforms typically wasted outer salad leaves into an velvety herbaceous “mayonnaise”. It’s a smart way to minimize food waste while making a condiment delicious and versatile.

Why Repurpose External Salad Greens?

These external greens serve as nature’s protective wrapping, shielding the delicate inner lettuce. Although recycling produce scraps is a fundamental sustainable practice, finding creative applications for these parts is additionally beneficial. Turning surplus ingredients into rich compost avoids dump buildup, where it may emit methane, which is a potent environmental concern.

This is quite innovative if you think about it: produce decomposes and becomes the ideal soil to feed further crops, thus closing this loop and honoring nature’s cycle of growth.

However, with more than 30% extra food getting made compared to needed, using valuable resources wisely is essential. Minimizing leftovers not only conserves money but also supports the more eco-friendly way of living.

The Green “Mayonnaise” Method

This adaptable recipe works with any variety of salad greens and seeds. Through using a whole egg, one avoid any need to repurpose the extra egg white. This outcome is an creamy, rich sauce that works beautifully with salads, grilled veggies, seared poultry, pasta, or rice.

Serves two

For the Green Emulsion (Yields about 200 grams)

• 100g butter
• 50g outer lettuce leaves from 2 romaine or butter lettuce, washed and dried
• 20g peeled salted nuts – white nuts such as pine nuts assist keep the vivid color, but whatever seeds can do
• 1 small whole egg

To Make the Side

• Two romaine or butter heads, halved lengthways
• Cold-pressed olive oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• 1 small bunch soft herbs (like chives), sprigs left whole, stems thinly chopped

Instructions

First preparing the emulsion. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the outer salad leaves, place a lid and cook for about a minute, stirring a couple times, till they have wilted. Pour this mixture into a container of a immersion processor, include the nuts and egg, then blend till creamy. If needed, incorporate more nuts to achieve the mayonnaise-like consistency. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for as long as three days.

To assemble the salad, drizzle each gem portion with oil and lemon juice, then season generously. Dress with one tight drizzle of the green mayonnaise, then scatter with the greens. Place on 2 dishes and serve immediately.