Upcycling Outer Salad Greens into Creamy Emulsion – An Sustainable Recipe
Modeled after an acclaimed NYC restaurant, the innovative method transforms typically wasted external lettuce leaves into an smooth green “mayonnaise”. This is an brilliant approach to minimize kitchen waste while producing a condiment tasty and versatile.
Why Use External Salad Greens?
These outer greens are nature’s natural packaging, shielding the delicate inner lettuce. Although composting produce scraps is a basic sustainable habit, finding new uses for these parts is additionally beneficial. Converting surplus food into fertile soil avoids dump accumulation, where they may emit methane, a powerful environmental issue.
It’s rather radical when you think over it: food decomposes and transforms into that perfect growing medium to nourish more crops, thereby closing the cycle and respecting nature’s process of growth.
Yet, given more than 30% surplus food getting made compared to needed, using precious ingredients efficiently is crucial. Reducing waste not only saves money but also promotes a more sustainable lifestyle.
This Green “Mayonnaise” Recipe
This adaptable recipe works with any type of lettuce and seeds. By using a whole egg, one avoid the need to use up the extra white. The outcome is a smooth, nutty sauce that works beautifully with greens, grilled veggies, grilled poultry, pasta, or grains.
Yields two
To Make the Green Emulsion (Yields about 200g)
- 100g butter
- 50g external lettuce greens of 2 romaine or butter lettuce, washed and thoroughly dried
- 20g shelled roasted pistachios – white nuts such as blanched almonds help maintain the bright green, but whatever nuts can do
- One small whole egg
For the Salad
- Two romaine or butter heads, halved longwise
- Cold-pressed oil, as needed
- Lemon juice or white-wine vinegar, to taste
- One small handful fresh herbs (like dill), leaves left intact, stems finely chopped
Steps
First making the mayonnaise. Melt the fat in a small pot, toss in the external lettuce greens, cover and cook for approximately 60 seconds, stirring once or twice, till they’ve wilted. Transfer the mixture into the jug of a stick blender, add the nuts and egg, then process until smooth. As necessary, add more nuts to achieve a thick consistency. Keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for as long as 3 days.
To assemble the salad, drizzle each gem half with oil and lemon juice, then salt liberally. Coat with one tight drizzle of the green emulsion, then scatter with the herbs. Arrange on 2 dishes and enjoy right away.
