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Inspired by an acclaimed NYC restaurant, the creative method transforms usually thrown-out external salad leaves into a velvety herbaceous “mayonnaise”. This is a smart approach to reduce kitchen waste while creating something flavorful and flexible.

Why Use External Salad Greens?

Those external leaves are nature’s protective packaging, guarding the tender inner lettuce. While recycling vegetable scraps is a basic sustainable habit, finding creative uses for these parts is even more beneficial. Turning surplus food into rich soil prevents dump accumulation, where they may emit methane, a potent environmental issue.

This is rather radical if you think over it: food rots and becomes the ideal soil to nourish more crops, thus closing the loop and respecting nature’s cycle of growth.

Yet, given over thirty percent extra food being made than required, consuming valuable resources wisely is crucial. Minimizing waste not only saves cash but also supports the increasingly eco-friendly lifestyle.

This Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Recipe

This versatile formula works with any type of salad greens and nuts. Through incorporating one entire egg, one avoid the need to repurpose an extra white. This outcome is an creamy, rich dressing that pairs perfectly with greens, roasted vegetables, grilled poultry, pasta, or grains.

Serves two

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

• 100g butter
• 50 grams outer salad greens from two romaine or butter lettuce, washed and thoroughly dried
• 20g peeled roasted nuts – light-colored seeds like blanched almonds help maintain a bright color, though whatever nuts can do
• One small entire egg

For the Side

• 2 little gem lettuces, halved lengthways
• Cold-pressed oil, as needed
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• One small handful soft herbs (such as dill), sprigs picked whole, stalks thinly chopped

Instructions

First making the emulsion. Heat the fat in one small saucepan, add the outer salad greens, place a lid and wilt for approximately a minute, mixing a couple times, until they’ve softened. Pour this mixture into the container of an stick processor, include the pistachios and egg, then process till creamy. If needed, incorporate more nuts to achieve the mayonnaise-like texture. Keep in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For prepare the salad, drizzle each lettuce portion with olive oil and lemon juice, then salt generously. Dress with a tight drizzle of the green mayonnaise, then top with the herbs. Place on two plates and serve right away.