Before I made South Florida my home, I used to visit the area for Spring Break.  There were 24-hour car rides to Key West and slightly less painful 20-hour treks to South Florida.  Aside from a lot of beer, hamburger joints and diners, we also sampled some not so traditional “college fare” like conch fritters, fish dip and this Citrusy Hearts of Palm Salad.

If you’ve never tried hearts of palm, it actually IS the heart of a palm tree. The harvesting process is laborious, so this creamy, mild vegetable is considered a delicacy, but it’s not priced as aggressively as caviar or truffles.  In fact, it’s nowhere near that!  My can was just over $3.

Since it’s such a mild, delicate flavor, hearts of palm work very well in salads.  I like them with fresh orange segments to really amplify that tropical flavor.

To give this salad eye appeal and crunch, add half moons of english cucumber, thinly sliced red onion and peppery radishes.

A simple orange-dijon vinaigrette ties the flavors together.

This makes enough for four generous appetizer-sized servings or you could top it with a crab cake or grilled shrimp for a light meal. More salads to try: Pear Pomegranate Salad, Tangy Frisee Lardons Salad.

Citrusy Hearts of Palm Salad

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 180 kcal

A bright salad with creamy hearts of palm, orange supremes and english cucumber with citrus honey dijon dressing.

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Ingredients

For The Dressing:

• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon whole grain dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey preferably a citrus honey
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For The Salad

• 1 14-oz can whole hearts of palm drained, sliced crosswise into 1/4" rounds
• 2 large oranges supremed
• 1/2 english cucumber thinly sliced into half moons
• 2 radishes cut into matchsticks
• 1/4 medium red onion very thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup microgreens (optional)

Instructions

Make The Dressing:

1. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and whisk to combine.  Set aside.

Make The Salad:

1. In a wide, shallow bowl combine the hearts of palm, orange supremes, cucumber, radishes and red onion.  Add about 3 tablespoons of dressing and toss to combine.  If the salad needs more dressing, add it one tablespoon at a time, but don't overdress.  Sprinkle micro greens over the salad and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Citrusy Hearts of Palm Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 180 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 10g 15%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Sodium 336mg 14%

Potassium 221mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 21g 7%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 18g

Protein 1g 2%

Vitamin A 4.9%

Vitamin C 62.1%

Calcium 4.3%

Iron 1.7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

More Tropical Salads:

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