HEARTS OF PALM SALAD WITH SHAVED PARMA HAM
Ingredients
- 4 4 4pounds POUNDWeightfresh hearts of palm, outer husks removed, or 1 pound canned hearts of palm, drained
- 1/4 .25 .25pound POUNDWeightthinly shaved Parma ham
- 1 1 1cup CUP_USVolumemicro greens or small mixed baby salad greens
- 4 4 4teaspoons TEASPOON_USVolumeextra-virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 4 4teaspoons TEASPOON_USVolumejulienned Preserved Lemon Peel, recipe follows
Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1 1 1tablespoon TABLESPOON_USVolumediced Preserved Lemon Peel (see "Sauces and Dressings")
- 1 1 1teaspoon TEASPOON_USVolumechopped fresh chives
- 1 1 1teaspoon TEASPOON_USVolumesugar
- 1/2 .5 .5teaspoon TEASPOON_USVolumesalt
- 1/4 .25 .25cup CUP_USVolumeChampagne vinegar
- 2/3 .66 .66cup CUP_USVolumeextra-virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- For the Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette, in a mixing bowl, stir together all the ingredients. Season to taste with a little more salt and some pepper. You should have about 1 cup of dressing. Cover and set aside.
- If using fresh hearts of palm, you should have some bigger, thicker pieces and some smaller, thinner pieces. Put the bigger pieces in a nonreactive dish and cover them with 3/4 cup of the Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Drain the marinated hearts of palm and wrap each piece in a piece of ham. After the pieces are wrapped, cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rings. Slice the smaller pieces into 1/4-inch thick rings and set aside.
- Drape half of each serving plate with the remaining Parma ham.
- In a mixing bowl, toss the mesclun with the sliced small hearts of palm and 4 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mound some of the greens mixture in the center of each serving plate. Place the ham wrapped rounds around the salad. Drizzle the remaining Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette around each plate and garnish with the julienned Preserved Lemon Peel. Serve immediately.
ABOUT THIS RECIPE
For this Hawaiian-inspired first-course salad, you’ll find fresh hearts of palm in some well-stocked produce sections and specialty food stores. If not, substitute canned hearts of palm for this recipe from Spago Maui.