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Drawing from a well-known New York eatery, this innovative technique turns typically wasted outer lettuce greens into an smooth herbaceous “mayonnaise”. This is an ingenious way to reduce leftovers while making something tasty and adaptable.

Why Use External Lettuce Greens?

Those external leaves serve as nature’s protective packaging, guarding the delicate inner lettuce. While composting produce scraps is one fundamental sustainable habit, finding creative uses for these parts is additionally impactful. Turning excess ingredients into fertile soil avoids landfill buildup, where it can release methane, a potent climate concern.

It’s rather innovative if you think over it: food decomposes and transforms into that ideal soil to nourish further crops, thus completing this cycle and respecting nature’s process of growth.

Yet, with over 30% extra food being made than needed, consuming valuable ingredients wisely is crucial. Reducing leftovers not only conserves cash but also promotes a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

This Green “Mayonnaise” Recipe

This versatile formula works with any variety of lettuce and nuts. By incorporating a entire egg, you avoid the need to use up the leftover white. The result is an creamy, nutty sauce that works beautifully with salads, roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, pasta, or rice.

Yields two

To Make the Green Emulsion (Makes about 200 grams)

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 50g outer lettuce greens from two romaine or butter lettuce, washed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams peeled salted pistachios – white nuts such as blanched almonds help keep the bright color, though any nuts will work
• 1 medium whole egg

To Make the Salad

• Two romaine or butter heads, split longwise
• Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, to taste
• 1 small bunch soft greens (such as parsley), sprigs left intact, stems finely chopped

Steps

First making the emulsion. Heat the fat in a medium pot, add the outer salad greens, place a lid and cook for approximately 60 seconds, mixing a couple times, until they’ve wilted. Transfer the contents into a jug of a stick processor, add the pistachios and egg, then blend until smooth. As necessary, add extra nuts to achieve a mayonnaise-like consistency. Store in an sealed jar in the fridge for as long as 3 days.

To assemble the dish, drizzle each gem half with oil and lemon juice, then season liberally. Dress with one zigzag drizzle of the green mayonnaise, then top with the greens. Arrange on 2 dishes and enjoy right away.