🔗 Share this article

Modeled after an acclaimed New York eatery, this creative method turns usually thrown-out outer lettuce leaves into an smooth green emulsion. It’s a smart way to reduce kitchen waste while producing a condiment flavorful and flexible.

The Reason Use External Lettuce Greens?

These outer greens serve as the plant’s protective wrapping, shielding the delicate inner leaves. Although recycling vegetable scraps is one basic sustainable habit, discovering creative applications for them is additionally beneficial. Turning surplus food into rich compost prevents dump accumulation, where they can emit greenhouse gases, which is a powerful environmental concern.

It’s rather innovative when you consider about it: food decomposes and transforms into the ideal growing medium to feed further crops, thereby closing the cycle and respecting the process of growth.

Yet, with over 30% extra food being made compared to needed, consuming precious resources wisely is essential. Minimizing leftovers not only saves money but also promotes a increasingly eco-friendly way of living.

This Herb-Infused Emulsion Method

This versatile recipe functions with whatever type of lettuce and seeds. Through using a whole egg, you avoid the hassle to use up an extra egg white. This result is a smooth, rich sauce that pairs perfectly with salads, grilled vegetables, grilled chicken, noodles, or rice.

Yields 2

To Make the Green Emulsion (Yields approximately 200 grams)

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 50 grams outer lettuce greens of 2 romaine or butter lettuce, washed and dried
• 20g shelled roasted pistachios – white seeds such as cashews assist keep the bright color, but any nuts will do
• 1 medium whole egg

To Make the Salad

• Two romaine or butter heads, halved lengthways
• Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• Fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• One small bunch soft greens (like chervil), sprigs picked whole, stems finely minced

Steps

First making the mayonnaise. Melt the fat in a medium pot, toss in the outer salad greens, cover and wilt for about 60 seconds, mixing a couple times, till they’ve softened. Pour the contents into a jug of an immersion blender, add the nuts and whole egg, then process till creamy. If needed, add extra nuts to get the thick consistency. Keep in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to three days.

To assemble the salad, sprinkle each lettuce half with olive oil and acid, then salt generously. Coat with one tight drizzle of the green emulsion, then scatter with the greens. Arrange on 2 plates and serve right away.