Instructions: While its true that palm oil and palm kernel oil are very high in saturated fat, the edible part of a palm contains almost no fat, and is a healthy and delicious vegetable.

I love the texture and flavor of palm hearts. Weve encountered them often in salads in tropical areas (Hawaii, Hong Kong, and Taiwan). To my knowledge, Ive never had them cooked, only raw in all kinds of salads.

You can find them, packed in water (either in jars or cans) in the canned vegetable section (next to artichoke hearts) in most grocery stores.

I was going to give you my description of what the heart of a palm is, but decided I would be more exacting, so following is the Epicurious definition:
"The edible inner portion of the stem of the cabbage palm tree, which grows in many tropical climates and is Floridas official state tree.

Hearts of palm are slender, ivory-colored, delicately flavored and expensive. They resemble white asparagus, sans tips. Their texture is firm and smooth and the flavor is reminiscent of an artichoke. Each stalk is about 4 inches long and can range in diameter from pencil-thin to 1 to 1 1/2 inches. The hearts of palm we get in the United States are either from Florida or imported from Brazil.

Theyre available fresh only in Florida and in other countries where theyre grown. Canned hearts of palm are packed in water, and can be found in gourmet markets and many large supermarkets. Once opened, they should be transferred to a nonmetal container with an airtight cover. They can be refrigerated in their own liquid for up to a week. Hearts of palm can be used in salads and in main dishes, or deep-fried."

Just for contrast, here is the Epicurious definition of palm oils:

"The reddish-orange oil extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the African palm. Its extremely high in saturated fat (78 percent) and has a distinctive flavor that is popular in West African and Brazilian cooking. Palm-kernel oil, though also high in saturated fat, is a different oil extracted from the nut or kernel of palms. Its a yellowish-white color and has a pleasantly mild flavor. Palm-kernel oil is used in the manufacture of margarine and cosmetics. Its usually listed on labels simply as palm oil. "

Do try the palm hearts - you can simply slice them and put them on any

"tossed" salad. I love them!

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