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Modeled after a popular New York restaurant, this groundbreaking method converts often-discarded external salad greens into a smooth green emulsion. It’s a smart approach to reduce leftovers while producing something flavorful and adaptable.

The Reason Repurpose Outer Salad Greens?

Those external leaves serve as nature’s natural packaging, shielding the tender inner lettuce. Although recycling vegetable trimmings is one fundamental sustainable practice, discovering creative uses for these parts is additionally impactful. Turning surplus ingredients into fertile compost avoids dump buildup, where they can release methane, which is a powerful climate issue.

This is rather innovative if you think about it: produce decomposes and becomes that ideal soil to nourish further plants, thus completing the cycle and honoring the process of growth.

Yet, with over 30% extra food being produced than needed, using precious resources wisely is essential. Minimizing leftovers not only conserves cash but also promotes a more sustainable way of living.

This Green “Mayonnaise” Recipe

The adaptable recipe functions with whatever variety of salad greens and nuts. By using one whole egg, one eliminate the need to repurpose an extra white. The outcome is an creamy, rich dressing that pairs perfectly with greens, grilled vegetables, seared chicken, noodles, or grains.

Yields two

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

• 100 grams unsalted butter
• 50 grams outer salad greens of two little gems, washed and dried
• 20g peeled salted nuts – light-colored seeds such as pine nuts help maintain a bright color, but whatever seeds can work
• 1 medium whole egg

For the Salad

• Two little gem lettuces, halved longwise
• Cold-pressed olive oil, to taste
• Fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• 1 generous bunch fresh herbs (like chervil), sprigs picked intact, stalks finely chopped

Instructions

Begin by making the emulsion. Melt the fat in a small saucepan, add the external salad greens, place a lid and wilt for about a minute, stirring once or twice, until they have softened. Pour this contents into the container of an immersion processor, add the pistachios and whole egg, then process till creamy. If needed, incorporate more nuts to get the mayonnaise-like texture. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for as long as 3 days.

For prepare the dish, drizzle each lettuce half with oil and acid, then season liberally. Dress with a zigzag pattern of the green mayonnaise, then top with the greens. Arrange on 2 plates and serve right away.