Palm Hearts & Avocado

The palm heart is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of certain palm trees. While Costa Rica is the primary source of fresh palm hearts in the US, of late we also import it from Hawaii.

Hearts of palm are slender, ivory-colored, delicately flavored and expensive. They resemble white asparagus, sans tips. Their texture is firm and smooth and the flavor is reminiscent of an artichoke.

For obvious reasons I rarely use this vegetable but when possible I do buy it to celebrate a festive occasion or a birthday. When I do buy it, I use it to make Avocado and Hearts of Palm salad.

Recipe:
Avocado Salad with Hearts of Palm
Preparation: 25 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
Dressing (you’ll use about 1/2 to serve 4 people):

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
• 1 teaspoon freshly made garlic paste
• Zest from 1 lemon
• Juice from 1 1/2 lemons (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Salad:

• Lettuce leaves – leafy green, red leafy, spring mix, etc.
• 1 – 2 avocadoes, diced
• 7 ounces canned hearts of palm, drained
• 1/2 small red onion, chopped

Directions
Dressing: Mix all the ingredients in a blender.

Salad: Arrange the lettuce on four small plates. Stir together the avocado, hearts of palm and onion in a small bowl. Stir in enough dressing to just wet the ingredients. Arrange in mounds atop the lettuce. Serve.