Huasteca Pickled Hearts of Palm (Palmito en Escabeche)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Sharp chef's knife for trimming the palmito
• •Clay cazuela or heavy nonreactive saucepan
• •Clean glass jars or glazed clay jarra
• •Wooden spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the palmito

   Trim away every fibrous outer layer until only the tender white heart remains. Slice into 1/2-inch rounds. If your knife meets resistance, you are still in the tough part. Do not be stingy here. Tough palmito in escabeche is punishment, not food.

2. 2

   Blanch until tender

   Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sliced palmito and cook 6 to 8 minutes, just until a piece yields when pierced but still keeps its shape. Drain well. This short blanch removes the raw edge and lets the vinegar enter cleanly without turning the palmito mushy.

3. 3

   Soften the aromatics

   In a clay cazuela or heavy saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, chiles gueros, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, peppercorns, allspice, and carrot if using. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion turns glossy but not browned. Escabeche wants fragrance, not fried onion.

4. 4

   Build the vinegar

   Add the white vinegar, cane vinegar, water, salt, and piloncillo. Bring to a lively simmer and stir until the salt and piloncillo dissolve. Taste carefully. It should be sharp, salty, lightly sweet, and aromatic. If it tastes flat now, it will taste flat tomorrow.

5. 5

   Cure the palmito

   Add the drained palmito to the simmering escabeche and cook 2 minutes, just enough for the rounds to absorb the hot vinegar. Turn off the heat. The palmito should stay pale and firm, with the onion and chiles tucked around it. No me vengas con atajos. The resting time is what finishes the preserve.

6. 6

   Pack and rest

   Transfer everything into clean glass jars or a glazed clay jarra. Press the palmito below the liquid so every piece is covered. Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate at least 24 hours before eating. Forty-eight hours is better. Serve cool or at room temperature with warm corn tortillas, beans, grilled fish, or a plain plate of rice.

Chef Tips

• •Fresh palmito is best, but it must be responsibly harvested or farmed. Cutting the heart kills many palms, so do not buy wild palmito from a vendor who cannot tell you where it came from. A cheap ingredient that destroys the monte is not cheap.
• •If you only find jarred hearts of palm, rinse them and skip the blanching. Use them knowing what you are missing: fresh palmito has a clean snap and absorbs the escabeche without tasting like the factory brine.
• •Chile guero gives fruitiness and gentle heat. Do not replace it with bell pepper. If you cannot find chile guero, use fresh jalapeno or xcatik as a compromise, and admit it is a compromise.
• •Use cane vinegar if you can find it in a Veracruz or Caribbean market. White vinegar works, but cane vinegar gives a rounder, warmer acidity. Si no conoces el mercado, no conoces la cocina.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the escabeche at least 24 hours ahead. The flavor is better after 48 hours, when the vinegar has moved through the palmito and the chiles gueros have softened.
• •Keep refrigerated with the palmito fully covered by liquid. It holds well for 7 days. Use clean utensils every time, because preserves are only as clean as the hand that enters the jar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 120g)