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Modeled after a popular New York restaurant, this innovative technique converts typically wasted external salad leaves into an smooth green emulsion. This is a brilliant approach to reduce food waste while creating a condiment tasty and flexible.

The Reason Use External Salad Greens?

Those outer leaves serve as the plant’s natural packaging, shielding the tender inside lettuce. Although recycling produce scraps is one basic zero-waste habit, discovering new applications for them is additionally impactful. Turning excess food into fertile compost avoids dump buildup, where it may emit methane, which is a powerful climate concern.

This is rather innovative if you think about it: produce rots and becomes the perfect soil to feed further crops, thereby closing the cycle and honoring nature’s cycle of life.

Yet, with more than 30% surplus produce being made compared to needed, using valuable resources wisely is crucial. Minimizing waste not only conserves money but also supports a more sustainable lifestyle.

This Green Emulsion Method

This versatile recipe functions with any type of lettuce and seeds. Through using a entire egg, you eliminate any hassle to use up the leftover egg white. This result is an creamy, rich sauce that pairs beautifully with salads, roasted veggies, grilled poultry, noodles, or rice.

Yields two

For the Herb Emulsion (Yields approximately 200 grams)

• 100g butter
• 50 grams external lettuce greens from 2 romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20g shelled roasted nuts – white nuts such as blanched almonds help maintain the vivid color, though whatever nuts can do
• One small entire egg

For the Side

• 2 romaine or butter lettuces, halved longwise
• Cold-pressed olive oil, to taste
• Fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar, to taste
• 1 small bunch fresh herbs (such as chervil), sprigs left intact, stems thinly chopped

Steps

First making the mayonnaise. Heat the fat in a small saucepan, add the outer lettuce greens, place a lid and wilt for approximately a minute, mixing a couple times, until they’ve wilted. Transfer this mixture into the container of an immersion processor, add the nuts and egg, then process till smooth. As necessary, add more seeds to achieve a thick consistency. Store in a airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

For prepare the salad, drizzle each lettuce half with oil and acid, then salt generously. Coat with a tight drizzle of the herb emulsion, then top with the herbs. Arrange on two dishes and serve right away.