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Drawing from an acclaimed New York restaurant, the creative technique turns often-discarded outer lettuce leaves into an smooth herbaceous “mayonnaise”. It’s a ingenious approach to reduce food waste while creating a condiment delicious and versatile.

Why Use External Salad Leaves?

These outer greens are nature’s natural packaging, guarding the tender inner lettuce. While recycling produce scraps is one basic sustainable practice, discovering creative uses for these parts is even more beneficial. Turning surplus food into fertile soil prevents landfill accumulation, where it may release methane, which is a powerful climate issue.

It’s quite radical if you consider about it: food rots and transforms into the ideal soil to nourish further crops, thereby completing this loop and respecting the cycle of growth.

Yet, with over 30% surplus produce being made compared to required, using valuable ingredients efficiently is crucial. Minimizing leftovers not only saves cash but also promotes the increasingly eco-friendly lifestyle.

This Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Method

This adaptable formula works with whatever variety of salad greens and seeds. By using one entire egg, you avoid any hassle to use up the extra white. This result is an creamy, rich dressing that pairs perfectly with salads, grilled veggies, seared chicken, noodles, or grains.

Yields 2

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

• 100g butter
• 50 grams external lettuce greens from two little gems, rinsed and dried
• 20g shelled salted pistachios – white nuts like blanched almonds assist maintain a vivid color, though whatever nuts can work
• One small entire egg

For the Salad

• 2 little gem heads, halved lengthways
• Cold-pressed olive oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, to taste
• 1 small bunch soft herbs (such as chervil), leaves left whole, stems finely minced

Instructions

First making the mayonnaise. Melt the fat in a small pot, add the outer lettuce leaves, cover and wilt for approximately a minute, mixing a couple times, till they’ve softened. Pour this contents into the container of an immersion blender, add the pistachios and egg, then blend till creamy. As necessary, add extra seeds to achieve the thick texture. Keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for as long as three days.

To prepare the salad, drizzle each lettuce half with olive oil and lemon juice, then salt liberally. Coat with one tight drizzle of the herb mayonnaise, then scatter with the greens. Arrange on two dishes and enjoy immediately.