Hearts of Palm

Hearts of Palm

Hearts of palm are vegetables harvested from the soft core of a palm tree. They are extremely popular in Latin American cuisine, and are exported both fresh and canned to other parts of the world. France is the largest importer of hearts of palm, with centers of export in several Latin American nations including Puerto Rico and Brazil. Many vegetarians use hearts of palm in their recipes, blending the vegetables to make spreads, eating them plain, or adding the hearts of palm to salads.

Many wild species of palm serve as sources for hearts of palm, including coconut palms, Acai palms, and sabal palms. Unfortunately, the harvesting process kills these trees, because they only have one stem, and extracting the inner core essentially destroys the tree. In response to this issue, several palms were domesticated and bred specifically for production of hearts of palm. These trees have multiple stems, allowing farmers to harvest the hearts while allowing the rest of the tree to live.

Palmito and swamp cabbage are two alternate names for hearts of palm. The vegetable has a pale straw color, and a tender, delicate flavor. When fresh, hearts of palm can be a bit crisp and crunchy, although canned hearts of palm tend to soften. The most prized section of the vegetable is the core, which is especially sweet and tender. Both fresh and canned hearts of palm are usually cut into chunks before being sold, to make them easy to manage.

In Latin American cuisine, hearts of palm are often marinated or tossed with dressing before being added to a salad or dish. Hearts of palm can also be used in fruit desserts, to add an unusual flavor and texture. They can also be lightly sautéed and tossed with pasta. Some cooks use hearts of palm like artichoke hearts, adding them to salads, pasta, quiches, and other dishes. Since the flavor is remarkably similar to that of an artichoke, the substitution often works rather well. Hearts of palm can also be blended with other ingredients for a dip.