Eat for Life recipe: Hearts of palm dress up this salad
Depending on how you dress it up, a lettuce salad can be ho-hum or ooh-la-la!
The Star’s Hearts of Palm Salad With Remoulade is an example of thinking outside the typical salad bar standbys.
If you’ve never tried hearts of palm, the ivory-colored, tube-shaped stalks are the tender center cord of the cabbage palm or palmetto, the state tree of Florida. Hearts of palm can range from pencil thin to 11/2 inches thick, and they taste like a cross between asparagus and artichokes.
Although not inexpensive (depending on size, anywhere from $3.50 to $5 per can or jar), the ingredient can really make a salad special. Look for them in the canned vegetable aisle of well-stocked supermarkets. Nearly half of the hearts of palm imported into the United States are harvested wild from the rainforests of Brazil, but you can also buy cultivated varieties grown in Peru, Costa Rica and Ecuador.
Not to be confused with the highly saturated fat known as palm oil, hearts of palm contain zero fat and cholesterol. They are low in sodium and rich in iron, phosphorous and potassium. A 1/2-cup serving has just 20 calories.
Since the French are hearty consumers of hearts of palm, it makes sense to pair them with a classic remoulade sauce made of mayonnaise, mustard, capers, chopped gherkins, herbs and anchovies and frequently served with meats, fish and shellfish. Our version is a delicious mix of light mayo and mustard (a condiment naturally low in calories) with the added flavor and nutrition of roasted red peppers and celery.
Shopping tip: Creole mustard is available online and in many larger supermarkets. If you can’t find it, choose a spicy brown mustard instead.
Cooking tip: Because hearts of palm are stored in a solution of salt, citric acid and ascorbic acid, it’s a good idea to rinse them before adding them to the salad.
Storage tip: Hearts of palm are typically sold in glass containers and metal cans. After opening a can, transfer the vegetable to an airtight, nonmetal container. Refrigerate any leftover stalks in their own liquid for up to a week.
Pump it up: To learn more interesting tidbits about the processing, production and sustainability of hearts of palm, go to www.napoleon-co.com and www.edwardandsons.com.
Hearts of palm salad with remoulade dressing
Makes 4 servings
4 cups spring mix salad greens
1 (14-ounce) can hearts of palm, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup roasted red peppers, drained
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 cup Creole mustard
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped celery
Divide spring mix salad greens among 4 salad plates. Chop hearts of palm into 1-inch pieces; place 1/4 of hearts of palm on top of salad mix on each plate, then set aside.
Place remaining ingredients in food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until well-blended. Drizzle evenly over salad greens.
Per serving: 168 calories (18 percent from fat), 4 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 5 milligrams cholesterol, 34 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 295 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber.
Recipes developed for The Star by professional home economists Kathryn Moore and Roxanne Wyss.
This story was originally published March 31, 2015 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Eat for Life recipe: Hearts of palm dress up this salad."