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Inspired by a popular NYC eatery, the innovative method turns often-discarded outer salad greens into an velvety herbaceous emulsion. This is an brilliant approach to minimize leftovers while creating a condiment flavorful and versatile.

Why Use External Lettuce Greens?

Those external leaves are nature’s protective packaging, guarding the delicate inside leaves. While recycling vegetable scraps is a basic sustainable practice, discovering new applications for them is even more beneficial. Converting surplus ingredients into fertile soil avoids dump buildup, where they may emit greenhouse gases, which is a powerful climate issue.

It’s quite radical when you consider about it: produce decomposes and becomes that ideal soil to nourish more plants, thereby completing this loop and respecting nature’s process of life.

However, with more than 30% surplus food being produced compared to required, consuming precious ingredients wisely is essential. Reducing leftovers not only conserves cash but also promotes the more sustainable way of living.

The Herb-Infused Emulsion Recipe

This adaptable recipe functions with whatever type of lettuce and nuts. By incorporating one entire egg, you eliminate the need to use up an extra white. The result is a smooth, nutty dressing that pairs perfectly with salads, roasted veggies, seared chicken, noodles, or grains.

Yields two

For the Green Emulsion (Yields approximately 200g)

• 100g unsalted butter
• 50 grams outer salad leaves from 2 romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and thoroughly dried
• 20 grams peeled roasted pistachios – white seeds like blanched almonds assist maintain a vivid color, though any seeds will do
• 1 small entire egg

To Make the Salad

• Two little gem lettuces, halved lengthways
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, to taste
• 1 generous handful fresh herbs (like chervil), leaves picked whole, stems thinly minced

Steps

First making the mayonnaise. Melt the butter in one medium pot, add the external salad greens, cover and cook for about 60 seconds, mixing once or twice, till they have softened. Pour this mixture into the jug of an immersion processor, add the pistachios and egg, then blend until creamy. As necessary, incorporate more nuts to get the thick consistency. Store in a airtight jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To assemble the salad, drizzle each lettuce half with oil and acid, then season liberally. Dress with a zigzag pattern of the herb emulsion, then scatter with the herbs. Arrange on two plates and serve immediately.