Palm heart salad (ensalada de palmito) is literally made from the core of the palm tree trunk. Also known as hearts of palm, these are very versatile and have a somewhat bland but tangy flavor. They can be easily mixed with any variety of vegetables, so feel free to try your own variations.

In Bolivia palm hearts are a very popular food. This country also cans and exports hearts of palm to other countries. While extracting the core of the palm tree does mean the tree must be chopped down, most palm hearts are grown in palm tree plantations that are specially cultivated for this reason. When one crop is felled, another is planted.

Ingredients

One can hearts of palm
One red pepper
1 small bunch of chives
1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed small
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon of salad oil
1 teaspoon vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

Remove the palm hearts from the can, rinse thoroughly and drain, but do this carefully to ensure they don't fall apart. Cut the palm hearts into round slices.

Dice the chives, tomatoes and red pepper. Cut the mozzarella cheese into small cubes or strips.

Mix together with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Refrigerate at least one hour prior to serving. Palm heart salad tastes better, and is very refreshing, when it is served very cold.