This is a dip that I keep coming back to. I make this for nearly every family gathering. It's super low in calories and won't fill you up so it makes a perfect appetizer dip. I like dipping crudités or pieces of cheese in this dip but we always include a cracker or pita-like thing to dip when serving this to friends and family.
Hearts of palm are the creamy, tangy inner cores of palm trees. I find the flavor to be similar, but milder and creamier than, artichoke hearts. I love them in salads, stir fries or pureed in the recipe.
My changes:
1. If I'm just making a batch of this dip for me and my mom to tuck into, I'll leave out the oil. The dip has a great texture without it so I usually feel like I might as well skip it.
2. I double the parsley. Its hard to add too much.
3. I double the lemon juice. It needs the extra liquid, especially if your skipping the oil, and the flavor is definitely enhanced.
4. I add some spice. Usually just a dash of cayenne, but lately I've been using dried chili peppers that we harvested from our garden over the summer.
My new favorite way to eat it is in collard wraps, like you can see in the picture to the right. I blanch the collard green leaves in boiling water (to tenderize and reduce bitterness) then in cool water (to lock in the bright color). I then set two leaves down, one with its stem going vertically and the other horizontally, and load them up with whatever protein and veggies I have on hand. The wrap in the picture has hearts of palm dip, grilled chicken, lentil sprouts, tomato, mushroom, and roasted butternut. Usually the hardest part is fitting everything into the wrap, but worry not, these collards are surprisingly durable. They sort of stretch under pressure instead of breaking like most lettuce wraps (and some grain based sandwich wraps).
Hope you enjoy this one as much me!
Hearts of palm are the creamy, tangy inner cores of palm trees. I find the flavor to be similar, but milder and creamier than, artichoke hearts. I love them in salads, stir fries or pureed in the recipe.
My changes:
1. If I'm just making a batch of this dip for me and my mom to tuck into, I'll leave out the oil. The dip has a great texture without it so I usually feel like I might as well skip it.
2. I double the parsley. Its hard to add too much.
3. I double the lemon juice. It needs the extra liquid, especially if your skipping the oil, and the flavor is definitely enhanced.
4. I add some spice. Usually just a dash of cayenne, but lately I've been using dried chili peppers that we harvested from our garden over the summer.
My new favorite way to eat it is in collard wraps, like you can see in the picture to the right. I blanch the collard green leaves in boiling water (to tenderize and reduce bitterness) then in cool water (to lock in the bright color). I then set two leaves down, one with its stem going vertically and the other horizontally, and load them up with whatever protein and veggies I have on hand. The wrap in the picture has hearts of palm dip, grilled chicken, lentil sprouts, tomato, mushroom, and roasted butternut. Usually the hardest part is fitting everything into the wrap, but worry not, these collards are surprisingly durable. They sort of stretch under pressure instead of breaking like most lettuce wraps (and some grain based sandwich wraps).
Hope you enjoy this one as much me!