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Modeled after a well-known NYC eatery, the groundbreaking method transforms usually thrown-out external lettuce leaves into an smooth green “mayonnaise”. This is a smart approach to cut down on food waste while making something flavorful and flexible.

Why Use External Lettuce Leaves?

Those external greens are nature’s protective packaging, guarding the delicate inner lettuce. Although composting produce trimmings is a basic zero-waste practice, discovering creative applications for them is additionally beneficial. Converting surplus food into fertile soil prevents landfill buildup, where they may release greenhouse gases, which is a powerful climate issue.

This is rather innovative if you consider over it: food decomposes and transforms into the ideal soil to nourish more crops, thus closing the cycle and honoring nature’s cycle of growth.

Yet, with more than 30% surplus food getting made than needed, using precious ingredients wisely becomes crucial. Reducing leftovers not only saves cash but also promotes the increasingly eco-friendly lifestyle.

The Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Recipe

This adaptable recipe works with whatever variety of lettuce and seeds. Through using one whole egg, you avoid the need to repurpose an extra white. This outcome is an creamy, rich sauce that pairs beautifully with greens, grilled veggies, seared poultry, noodles, or rice.

Yields 2

To Make the Herb “Mayonnaise” (Yields approximately 200g)

• 100 grams butter
• 50 grams outer salad leaves of two romaine or butter lettuce, washed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams shelled roasted pistachios – light-colored nuts such as cashews help maintain the bright green, but any nuts can work
• One medium whole egg

For the Side

• Two little gem heads, split longwise
• Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• One small handful fresh greens (such as dill), leaves left intact, stems finely minced

Instructions

Begin by making the emulsion. Melt the butter in one small saucepan, toss in the outer lettuce leaves, cover and cook for about 60 seconds, stirring once or twice, until they’ve softened. Pour the contents into the jug of an stick blender, include the nuts and whole egg, then blend till smooth. If needed, incorporate more seeds to get a mayonnaise-like consistency. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For assemble the dish, drizzle each gem portion with olive oil and acid, then salt liberally. Dress with one zigzag drizzle of the green emulsion, then top with the herbs. Arrange on two dishes and serve immediately.