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Inspired by an acclaimed NYC restaurant, the innovative method transforms often-discarded external lettuce leaves into an luxurious green “mayonnaise”. This is an brilliant way to reduce leftovers while making something flavorful and flexible.

The Reason Repurpose Outer Salad Greens?

Those outer greens are the plant’s protective packaging, shielding the delicate inner lettuce. Although composting produce scraps is a fundamental zero-waste practice, finding new applications for these parts is additionally impactful. Converting surplus ingredients into rich soil prevents landfill accumulation, where they may emit methane, which is a potent environmental issue.

It’s rather radical if you consider over it: produce rots and becomes the perfect soil to feed more crops, thereby completing the cycle and respecting nature’s process of life.

However, with more than thirty percent extra produce being made compared to needed, consuming valuable ingredients wisely is essential. Minimizing waste not only conserves cash but also supports the more sustainable way of living.

The Green “Mayonnaise” Method

The versatile formula functions with any type of salad greens and nuts. By incorporating one whole egg, one avoid the hassle to use up an extra white. The outcome is a creamy, nutty dressing that works perfectly with salads, grilled vegetables, seared chicken, pasta, or grains.

Yields two

For the Green “Mayonnaise” (Yields about 200 grams)

• 100g butter
• 50 grams outer salad leaves of 2 romaine or butter lettuce, washed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams shelled roasted pistachios – white seeds like pine nuts assist keep the vivid color, though whatever seeds will work
• One small entire egg

For the Salad

• 2 romaine or butter heads, halved longwise
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• 1 generous handful soft greens (like dill), sprigs left whole, stems thinly chopped

Steps

First preparing the mayonnaise. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan, toss in the outer lettuce greens, cover and cook for about 60 seconds, mixing a couple times, till they’ve wilted. Pour this mixture into a container of an stick processor, add the nuts and egg, then blend till creamy. As necessary, incorporate more nuts to get the thick texture. Keep in an airtight jar in the fridge for as long as 3 days.

To assemble the dish, drizzle each lettuce portion with olive oil and acid, then season generously. Coat with a zigzag pattern of the green mayonnaise, then top with the greens. Place on 2 dishes and enjoy right away.