Hearts of palm are an underused ingredient in the non-tropical culinary world. But this ingredient deserves to be highlighted not only because of its beautifully mellow flavor and texture, but also because it contains an impressive array of vitamins and minerals.
A heart of palm is exactly what the name suggests: the heart of a palm tree. The soft inner core is milky white and the flesh is extremely delicate. The practice for preparing and eating a heart of palm centers around respect for the delicacy of the ingredient.
SALAD PALMIS
•tin of hearts of palm
•white vinegar
•smooth yellow mustard
• salt
•garlic clove
•sunflower oil
Drain one tin of heart of palm and very carefully slice the pieces into 1 cm rounds. Place them into a serving bowl and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette. Combine 4 tablespoons of sunflower oil, 4 tablespoons of white vinegar, one minced garlic clove, and 1 tablespoon of smooth yellow mustard. Taste the dressing to ensure there is balance between the acidity of the vinegar and the mellowness of the oil. Season the dressing with a teaspoon of salt. Then very gently, toss the hearts of palm with the dressing, taking care not to break the pieces. Refrigerate any excess vinaigrette for another time.
Serve immediately. I recommend pairing this salad with something warm and hearty, such as lentils and rice.