November 29, 2008
Another successful food demonstration was conducted at the KCC's Farmer's Market. This Saturday the product product was farm fresh Hearts of Palms prepared in a tasty healthy salad. Thanks go out to Wailea Ag. for their generous donation of the Hearts of Palm, Meyers Lemons and Bay Leaf. You can find the Wailea Ag booth at the farmer's market on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month . Again the demonstrations were a huge hit. You can find the recipe in the "comments" below.
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Heart of Palm… SLOW…
Bite into a fresh heart of palm and underneath the delicate, vegetal, nutty, slightly sweet flavor and smooth, crunchy texture, you will taste a shared history. From Brazil to Malaysia, the American South and the Pacific Islands, the heart of palm, once known as “swamp cabbage,” was eaten by impoverished families foraging for sustenance in tropical regions throughout the world. Difficult to obtain, getting to the heart of palm involved felling full grown palm trees and harvesting their inner core. As cultures evolved, the heart of palm became more sought after and moved to the other end of the spectrum as a prize ingredient for gourmets and a pleasure enjoyed by few.
Now coming full circle, the heart of palm has become a giving tree of sorts. While this nutrient rich vegetable still requires the labor and skill of a forager to harvest, it is now domesticated as a farm species known as the peach palm, each giving up to 40 stems from which to harvest the heart of palm without killing the tree. Putting this delicacy at our fingertips, Wailea Agriculture on the Big Island is our local source for this delicious and sustainable crop. Farming 35 acres of peach palms, Wailea Ag. is helping hearts of palm become a common and accessible ingredient on the American table.
Amazingly versatile, the Heart of Palm is now used world wide in countless preparations surpassing its humble beginnings. Join us in savoring one…
Heart of Palm and Avocado Salad
Ensalada de Palmito y Aguacate
In this recipe the heart of palm is presented pan seared as well as fresh to showcase the versatility and scope of its flavors and textures.
Makes 8 servings
Step 1. Dressing
Meyer Lemon Juice ¼ Cup
Bay Leaf 1
Red Onion 1 small (sliced into very thin rounds)
Whole Peppercorns ¼ tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Salt ½ tsp
Olive Oil ¼ Cup
Heat Meyer Lemon juice, add sugar, salt, Bay Leaf and Peppercorns and bring to simmer. Remove from heat and add thinly sliced Red Onion, let steep 5 minutes or until onions have softened and turned pink, remove onions and set aside. Strain or spoon out peppercorns and bay leaf from dressing whisk in olive oil until emulsified.
Step 2. Pan Seared Hearts of Palm
Hearts of Palm ½ lb cut into ½” thick rounds
Sea Salt ¼ tsp
Olive Oil 1 Tablespoon
In a mixing bowl, toss hearts of palm with oil and salt until well coated. Heat sauté pan. Place hearts of palm in pan until one side is caramelized. Turn palm hearts over to brown other side. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Step 3: Compose Salad
Fresh Hearts of Palm (1/4 lb)
Julienne into matchstick size pieces or cut into wedges or rounds
Avocado (2 divided into 4 quarters each)
Slice ripe avocado into thin fan shape
Cilantro
For garnish
For each serving arrange julienned fresh hearts of palm and ¼ avocado on plate as the base. Stack seared hearts of palm and onion on top. Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro to serve.
(Steps 1 and 2 can be done up to 2 days in advance. Cool the seared palm hearts and refrigerate, bringing up to room temp before serving.)
Alternative ideas:
• Add sliced wedges of tomato.
• To stretch the recipe, toss the dressing with salad greens and garnish with seared hearts of palm, fresh hearts of palm, avocado and onion.
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