SERVES 4
Traveling the world, I’ve noticed similarities among different cultures, even those that are thousands of miles apart. One of those similarities is the food. At home, when I was a child, we used to grill on Sundays, and hearts of palm were the salad staple. Although it’s an ingredient produced mainly in South America, hearts of palm are consumed around the world, so you won’t have trouble finding them at your local supermarket. I had always eaten them at restaurants or family members’ homes, but to my surprise, during one of my trips to Mexico, at a street food stand, I was served a salad, in a plastic cup, that was exactly like the one my mom and dad made at home. It just goes to show that food has no boundaries and people’s ingenuity never ceases to amaze us.
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, smashed
½ cup olive oil
salt
pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 tomatoes, diced
2 cups hearts of palm, sliced in rounds
¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
PREPARATION:
1. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard, and smashed garlic clove, and whisk with a fork. While whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make a creamy vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the onion, tomatoes, hearts of palm, parsley, and cilantro.
3. Toss with the vinaigrette and serve.