🔗 Share this article

Modeled after a popular NYC restaurant, this innovative technique turns usually thrown-out outer lettuce greens into a smooth green emulsion. It’s an ingenious way to minimize food waste while producing something tasty and flexible.

The Reason Use Outer Lettuce Greens?

Those external greens serve as nature’s protective wrapping, shielding the delicate inside lettuce. While composting produce trimmings is one fundamental zero-waste practice, finding creative uses for these parts is even more beneficial. Turning surplus food into rich soil prevents dump accumulation, where it can release methane, which is a potent climate issue.

This is quite radical if you consider about it: food decomposes and becomes the ideal soil to nourish more crops, thus closing this cycle and respecting the cycle of life.

However, with over 30% extra food getting produced compared to required, consuming precious resources wisely is crucial. Minimizing waste not only saves money but also promotes a more sustainable lifestyle.

The Green Emulsion Method

The versatile recipe works with any variety of lettuce and seeds. Through incorporating one whole egg, you avoid any need to repurpose the extra egg white. The result is an smooth, rich dressing that pairs beautifully with greens, roasted veggies, seared chicken, noodles, or rice.

Yields 2

To Make the Green Emulsion (Yields about 200 grams)

• 100 grams butter
• 50 grams external lettuce greens from 2 little gems, washed and thoroughly dried
• 20g peeled roasted nuts – white nuts such as blanched almonds assist maintain the bright green, though any seeds will do
• One small whole egg

For the Side

• Two romaine or butter heads, halved longwise
• Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• Fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar, as desired
• 1 small handful fresh herbs (such as dill), sprigs left intact, stems thinly minced

Instructions

Begin by making the emulsion. Melt the butter in one medium pot, toss in the outer salad leaves, cover and wilt for about 60 seconds, stirring a couple times, till they have wilted. Transfer the contents into the jug of an immersion blender, add the nuts and whole egg, then process until smooth. As necessary, add more nuts to achieve the thick texture. Keep in an airtight jar in the fridge for as long as 3 days.

To assemble the dish, drizzle each lettuce portion with olive oil and lemon juice, then season generously. Coat with one zigzag pattern of the green emulsion, then top with the herbs. Arrange on 2 plates and serve immediately.