Heart of palm

Palm heart, palm heart or Palmito refers to the edible tissue formation from stem and leaves at the top of a palm tree ( the growing point ). As Palm Cabbage Palm hearts are denoted by young, enveloping and not yet unfolded leaves.

Palm hearts are obtained from various species of palms, among other things, carbon palms ( Euterpe edulis, Euterpe oleracea), Babassupalmen and peach palms. The main growing areas are Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. The palm trees are often not specifically planted, but recovered as a waste product of the jungle clearing.

At harvest, the trees when they are ten to fifteen years old, like - by the removal of vegetation cone they could no longer continue to grow anyway. About 500 g per tree palm heart are here, after removing the inedible leaf sheaths, won. Peach palm trees, many ( up to 40 ) independent shoot tips, in this way, some of the heart can therefore be removed without killing the plant. From coconut palm heart can be won, but this happens only when the palm is no longer wearing, because coconuts have a greater economic value.

Palm hearts have a delicate texture and an intense nutty taste that comes raw to best advantage. In Europe they are almost only - cut to a uniform length and preserved in brine - as Hearts of Palms or Cœurs de Palmier available from multiple vendors in cans or jars.