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Modeled after an acclaimed New York restaurant, this innovative technique turns typically wasted external lettuce leaves into a velvety herbaceous emulsion. This is a brilliant approach to reduce kitchen waste while creating something flavorful and flexible.

The Reason Repurpose Outer Lettuce Greens?

Those external leaves are nature’s natural packaging, shielding the tender inner lettuce. While recycling vegetable scraps is a basic zero-waste practice, finding new applications for them is additionally impactful. Turning excess food into rich compost prevents dump buildup, where they can emit methane, which is a powerful climate issue.

It’s rather innovative if you consider over it: food rots and transforms into the ideal soil to feed more crops, thereby closing the loop and respecting nature’s cycle of growth.

Yet, with over 30% surplus food getting made than needed, consuming precious resources wisely is crucial. Minimizing waste not only saves money but also promotes the increasingly sustainable way of living.

The Herb-Infused Emulsion Method

This adaptable recipe works with whatever type of salad greens and seeds. Through incorporating a whole egg, you avoid the hassle to repurpose an extra white. The result is an creamy, rich sauce that works beautifully with greens, roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, pasta, or grains.

Yields two

For the Herb Emulsion (Yields approximately 200g)

• 100g unsalted butter
• 50g external lettuce leaves of two little gems, washed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams peeled salted pistachios – light-colored seeds like blanched almonds help maintain a bright color, but whatever nuts will work
• 1 small whole egg

To Make the Side

• Two little gem heads, split lengthways
• Extra-virgin oil, to taste
• Fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• One small bunch fresh greens (like dill), sprigs left whole, stems thinly minced

Steps

First making the mayonnaise. Heat the fat in one small saucepan, toss in the external lettuce greens, cover and wilt for approximately 60 seconds, mixing once or twice, till they’ve wilted. Pour the contents into the jug of an stick processor, include the nuts and egg, then blend till smooth. As necessary, incorporate extra nuts to get the thick consistency. Keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for as long as 3 days.

To prepare the dish, drizzle each gem portion with olive oil and acid, then season generously. Dress with one tight drizzle of the herb mayonnaise, then scatter with the herbs. Place on 2 plates and enjoy immediately.