If you've never cooked it before, let me show you how to cook the best hearts of palm dish. And with this simple and delicious palmito guisado recipe (stewed heart of palm) we want to share an alternative to a traditional Dominican dish that is now illegal and why that's so.
Why we ❤️ it
Palmito guisado is a marvelous, flavorful, traditional Dominican dish. It is a fantastic vegan dish, that is easy to make, and can be served as a side dish, or as a light main dish. It combines hearts of palm, vegetables, and herbs and has a rich sauce that enhances the flavor of anything it is served with goes.
Well-informed nature lovers will probably be shocked that as self-declared tree-huggers we would share a recipe for palmito guisado.
What's heart of palm / palmito?
Hearts of palm trees – Palmito in Spanish – is the part in the center of the palm tree where leaves grow from.
It has a flavor similar to artichoke hearts, and in some countries, it is traditionally made into hearts of palm salad. Hearts of palm "pasta" is available commercially in an spaghetti-like "palmini" product.
Palma real
Our country's original recipe calls for the "heart" of the Palma Real, our majestic native tree.
Harvesting the heart of the Palma Real not only kills the tree but also harms the Royal Palm tree, and habitat of our national bird, the cigua palmera or palmchat (Dulus dominicus), which is also endemic to the island.
But fear not, fellow tree-lovers, no Palmas Reales were harmed in making this dish.
You can enjoy this dish without harvesting Palma Real (Roystonea hispaniolana Bailey). There are alternatives! In fact, the heart of other edible palm tree species can be harvested repeatedly as it regrows, and you can choose those instead. These are fast-growing species that are grown commercially.
Ingredients and heart of palm dish.
Nutrition
Hearts of palm is a nutritious vegetable low in carbs, gluten-free, rich in fiber, and is a great choice for low-carb and keto diets.
Top tips
- Make sure to buy palmitos from the supermarket (never from street vendors!) and that it comes from reputable sources.
- Hearts of palm are sometimes canned in brine, so you may need to keep an eye on the salt content.
- While this dish is typically not made spicy, I love adding some ajicito picante (Scotch bonnet pepper), so you can try that if you love spicy food.
Serving suggestions
This heart of palm dish goes very well with any of our moros (rice and beans dishes) or traditional white rice. I also love it alongside some avocado slices.
If you fancy a similar vegan dish, I recommend stewed cabbage (repollo guisado).
About our recipe
For this recipe, I specifically chose canned palmito, which doesn't taste exactly like "traditional" palmito, but it's worth it.
How do you cook hearts of palm? Let me know in the comments!
Recipe
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Stewed Hearts of Palm Recipe (Palmito Guisado)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 4 plum tomato, diced
- ½ tablespoon mashed garlic
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar, or fruit vinegar
- 1 dozen pitted green olives
- 2 cans heart of palm, 14 ounces each, liquid discarded
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground), (or more, to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt, (or more, to taste)
- Fresh parsley, or cilantro to garnish
Instructions
Cook seasoning
- Heat a tablespoon of oil over low heat in a large skillet.Cook and stir the onions until they turn translucent. Add the bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, and olives. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through.
Cook palmito
- Add the hearts of palm, and 2 cups [0.5 liter] of water. Simmer uncovered until the liquid has reduced to half.Season with pepper and salt to taste.
Serving
- Remove from the stove, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Tips and Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
