Fresh Hearts of Palm Vegan Calamari
This vegan calamari is probably one of our all time favorite ways to enjoy our fresh hearts of palm. Chefs Tal Ronnen and Scot Jones from the world-famous Crossroads Kitchen in West Hollywood perfected this technique of poaching our fresh hearts with kombu (edible kelp) and Old Bay seasoning to give them that tender, meaty texture, and that fresh, ocean flavor.
They then core and cut calamari rings out of them before coating them in a cashew cream batter and deep frying them to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Cashew Cream
1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
2 cups filtered water
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Batter
1 cup cashew cream
2 tablespoon filtered water
1 tablespoon toasted nori flakes, finely ground
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Calamari
1 LB fresh hearts of palm
1 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal or polenta
1 cup rice flour
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning (can add more to taste)
½ teaspoon kosher salt (can add more for taste)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground fresh black pepper (can add more to taste)
Expeller pressed canola oil for frying
Poaching Liquid
12 cups water
½ cup sugar
½ cup Old Bay seasoning
1 sheet of Kombu (edible kelp)
Instructions
To Poach the Fresh Hearts of Palm
Combine all the poaching liquid ingredients in a large pot and bring to a simmer
Add fresh hearts of palm and poach them for 15 minutes
Remove the fresh hearts of palm from pot
Chill for 45 minutes before making the calamari
To Prepare the Cashew Cream (for the Batter)
Soak the cashews. Place the cashews in a medium bowl and add 2 cups of the water, or whatever is needed to cover the cashews completely with water.
Set aside uncovered at room temperature for at least 1 hour, but ideally 10-12 hours. Cashews are ready when they break apart when pressed between two fingers.
Drain the soaking water from the cashews and discard the water.
Add the drained cashews, the remaining 1/2 cup water, and the kosher salt to a blender.
Blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 3 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the blender and process again for 1 minute.
Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
To Prepare the Batter
Add 1 cup of the cashew cream in a bowl and add the water, ground nori flakes, salt and pepper.
Stir to combine; it should be smooth and not gloppy in the slightest.
Set aside at room temperature to let the flavors meld while you prepare the fresh hearts of palm calamari.
To Prepare the Fresh Hearts of Palm Calamari
Trim off both ends of each of palm to expose the center; this will make it easier to see and remove.
Working from the narrow end, gently push out the insides of each cylinder with your pinkie or chopstick. Some pieces will be easier than others, don’t worry if a few split (you can use the insides for a Louie Style Salad or the Fresh Heart of Palm Crab Cakes).
Using a paring knife, carefully cut each hollow spear into four 1-inch – wide rings. You should end up with about 48 pieces.
Add the hearts of palm to the cashew batter, gently turning the pieces over with your hand until thoroughly coated. Set aside.
Put the cornmeal in the food processor and process until it’s a fine powder.
Transfer to a large mixing bowl, add the rice flour, Old Bay seasoning, salt and pepper, and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Using a slotted spoon, scoop the hearts of palm from the batter, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, add to the cornmeal and toss with your hands until evenly coated on all sides.
Transfer the breaded hearts of palm to a strainer that is set over bowl, or work over the sink, and shake off the excess cornmeal. This is the key step to ensure that the cornmeal crust is light and not clumpy whatsoever (all this can be done up to 2 hrs in advance)
Arrange the breaded hearts of palm in a single layer on a baking sheet.
You can refrigerate them uncovered, but make sure to allow the fresh heart of palm to come to room temperature before frying.
To Deep Fry and Serve the Fresh Hearts of Palm Calamari
Heat 2 inches of oil to 350 f in a cast iron skillet or heavy sauce pan.
Add the hearts of palm to the hot oil and fry, carefully turning with tongs until golden brown and crispy on all sides, 2-3 minutes.
Remove the cooked pieces to a paper towel lined platter to drain.
Season the hearts of palm lightly with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning while still hot.
Pile hearts of palm calamari on a large platter and serve with cocktail sauce, tartar sauce and a few lemon wedges.