Hawaii's Heart of Palm...Oh so good!

While visiting Milton Wong's Kahulu'u farm/orchard, I noticed a couple of lone Peach Palms growing in the corner of his property.  I wouldn't have noticed them, but for my recent heavy exposure to the same palms in Fiji which came from Hawaii. Milton had purchased them from a local nursery because he had heard of this hearts of palm and "millionaire's salad" and wanted to try it.  Well, we quickly harvested the largest palm (about 2 meters high) letting all the keikis (baby shoots) grow up. The next night i prepared watermelon balls, spoon-meat coconut noodles, baby watercress and spinach, toasted some sliced almonds and cleaned, prepared and sliced the heart of palm into different slices, shapes and thicknesses ready to make a "Millionaires Salad" for 20 family and freinds who had been summon to enjoy with some kanuka spit-roasted NZ lamb that i had brought over to share with the ohana (whanau).

Needless to say, Milton was duly impressed and thoroughly enjoyed his HoP salad, even more so than the delicious lamb.  The little potion left was seconded as he left, no doubt for a light lunch the next day.

Miso Ginger Sesame Dressing

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons miso paste

1/3 cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons minced or grated fresh ginger root

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoon lime juice

3 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

 Directions:

Whisk miso paste into rice vinegar in a bowl until smooth. Stir in honey, ginger, sesame oil, lime juice, and sesame seeds into the vinegar mixture and place into small covered jar.  Shake well before each use

.Yield: I cup or 8 serves