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Modeled after a well-known NYC restaurant, the groundbreaking technique turns usually thrown-out outer salad greens into an velvety herbaceous “mayonnaise”. This is a smart way to minimize kitchen waste while making a condiment flavorful and adaptable.

Why Repurpose Outer Salad Greens?

Those outer leaves serve as nature’s natural wrapping, shielding the tender inside leaves. While recycling vegetable trimmings is a basic zero-waste habit, discovering new uses for these parts is even more beneficial. Converting excess ingredients into fertile compost prevents landfill buildup, where they may emit methane, a powerful climate issue.

It’s rather radical when you think over it: produce rots and transforms into the ideal soil to feed further crops, thus closing this cycle and respecting nature’s process of life.

Yet, with more than thirty percent extra food being made than required, consuming valuable ingredients wisely is crucial. Reducing leftovers not only conserves money but also promotes a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

The Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Method

This adaptable formula functions with any type of lettuce and seeds. By using a entire egg, you eliminate any need to use up the extra white. The outcome is a creamy, rich sauce that works perfectly with salads, roasted veggies, seared chicken, pasta, or rice.

Serves 2

For the Green “Mayonnaise” (Makes approximately 200g)

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 50 grams outer lettuce leaves of 2 romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and dried
• 20 grams peeled roasted nuts – white nuts like cashews help keep a bright green, but any seeds can do
• One small entire egg

To Make the Side

• Two romaine or butter lettuces, halved longwise
• Extra-virgin oil, as needed
• Fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar, to taste
• One small bunch fresh greens (like chervil), sprigs left whole, stems thinly chopped

Steps

First making the mayonnaise. Melt the fat in one small saucepan, add the outer lettuce leaves, cover and wilt for about 60 seconds, stirring once or twice, until they’ve softened. Transfer this contents into a container of a stick blender, include the nuts and whole egg, then process till smooth. If needed, add extra seeds to achieve the mayonnaise-like texture. Store in an sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To assemble the salad, sprinkle each gem half with olive oil and lemon juice, then season liberally. Dress with one tight pattern of the green mayonnaise, then scatter with the herbs. Arrange on 2 dishes and serve right away.