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Modeled after a popular NYC eatery, the innovative technique converts typically wasted outer salad leaves into a velvety green “mayonnaise”. This is a smart way to reduce kitchen waste while creating something flavorful and versatile.

The Reason Repurpose External Salad Greens?

Those external leaves are nature’s natural packaging, guarding the delicate inside leaves. While recycling produce scraps is a basic zero-waste habit, finding new uses for them is even more impactful. Turning surplus ingredients into rich compost avoids dump accumulation, where it may emit methane, a potent climate concern.

This is quite radical if you consider about it: food decomposes and transforms into that perfect growing medium to feed more plants, thereby completing the loop and respecting nature’s cycle of growth.

However, with over thirty percent surplus food being produced compared to required, using precious resources wisely is crucial. Minimizing leftovers not only conserves cash but also promotes a increasingly eco-friendly way of living.

The Green “Mayonnaise” Recipe

This versatile recipe works with any type of salad greens and nuts. By incorporating one whole egg, you avoid the need to repurpose an leftover egg white. The result is a smooth, rich sauce that pairs perfectly with salads, roasted vegetables, grilled poultry, noodles, or rice.

Serves 2

To Make the Herb “Mayonnaise” (Makes approximately 200 grams)

• 100 grams butter
• 50g external lettuce leaves from 2 romaine or butter lettuce, washed and thoroughly dried
• 20g shelled salted nuts – white seeds like cashews help keep a bright color, though whatever seeds will work
• 1 medium entire egg

To Make the Side

• 2 little gem lettuces, split longwise
• Cold-pressed oil, as needed
• Fresh lime juice or white-wine vinegar, to taste
• One small handful fresh herbs (like chervil), sprigs picked intact, stems thinly chopped

Steps

Begin by preparing the emulsion. Melt the fat in a medium saucepan, add the outer salad greens, cover and wilt for approximately a minute, stirring once or twice, until they’ve wilted. Pour this mixture into a container of a immersion blender, add the nuts and whole egg, then process till smooth. If needed, add more nuts to achieve the mayonnaise-like texture. Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to three days.

To prepare the dish, drizzle each gem half with olive oil and acid, then season liberally. Dress with a tight pattern of the green emulsion, then scatter with the greens. Arrange on 2 dishes and serve right away.