🔗 Share this article

Inspired by a popular New York eatery, this groundbreaking technique transforms typically wasted outer lettuce leaves into an luxurious green “mayonnaise”. It’s an smart approach to cut down on food waste while producing something flavorful and flexible.

Why Repurpose External Salad Leaves?

Those outer greens serve as nature’s natural packaging, shielding the tender inside lettuce. Although recycling produce scraps is one fundamental sustainable practice, finding creative applications for these parts is even more impactful. Converting surplus food into rich soil prevents dump accumulation, where it can release methane, a powerful climate concern.

It’s quite radical when you think over it: produce rots and becomes the ideal growing medium to feed further plants, thereby closing this cycle and respecting nature’s cycle of life.

Yet, with over 30% extra produce getting produced than required, consuming precious resources wisely is crucial. Minimizing waste not only conserves cash but also supports a more sustainable way of living.

This Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Recipe

The adaptable recipe functions with any variety of salad greens and seeds. By using one entire egg, you avoid the hassle to use up the leftover egg white. The result is an smooth, rich sauce that works perfectly with salads, roasted veggies, grilled chicken, pasta, or rice.

Serves two

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

• 100 grams butter
• 50g outer lettuce greens of 2 little gems, washed and dried
• 20 grams shelled roasted nuts – light-colored nuts such as blanched almonds help maintain the bright color, though whatever seeds will work
• 1 medium whole egg

To Make the Salad

• 2 little gem lettuces, split lengthways
• Cold-pressed oil, to taste
• Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, to taste
• One small handful fresh greens (like chives), leaves left intact, stalks finely minced

Instructions

First making the mayonnaise. Heat the butter in a small pot, add the outer lettuce greens, place a lid and cook for approximately a minute, stirring a couple times, till they’ve wilted. Pour the contents into a jug of an stick blender, add the pistachios and whole egg, then process until smooth. If needed, incorporate more nuts to achieve the mayonnaise-like texture. Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for as long as three days.

For assemble the salad, sprinkle each gem half with olive oil and acid, then season liberally. Coat with one tight pattern of the green emulsion, then scatter with the greens. Place on two plates and enjoy immediately.