Costa Rica: Ensalada Palmito

To accompany my Chivito (which didn't really need to be accompanied...it's like four meals on its own), I made Ensalada Palmito. Ensalada Palmito is a very common and popular dish in Costa Rica. It's my understanding that typically this salad uses a mayo-based dressing. I chose this version specifically because it did not use mayo, but use your best judgment.



Ensalada Palmito (from otnfinefood.com)
-(2) 16-ounce cans of hearts of palm
-1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
-1/3 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
-1 tablespoon chopped parsley
-1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
-1 tablespoon dijon mustard
-2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-ground pepper to taste
-very small amount of salt
-lettuce leaves

1. Drain the hearts of palm, cut them into ½-inch pieces, and put them into a large bowl. Stir in the red pepper, yellow pepper, and chopped parsley.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, chicken broth, and olive oil. Drizzle the dressing over the hearts of palm mixture and toss gently. Season to taste with salt (optional) and pepper.

3. Line a serving bowl with lettuce leaves, spoon the salad on top and serve.

Verdict: I'm iffy on how much I enjoyed the Hearts of Palm, but overall this salad was very good. I liked the light dressing, as well as how it made a refreshing contrast to a heavy main course.