Palmitas Recipe

Prepare shallot and herbs

Peel and roughly chop the small shallot. Wash and dry the mint leaves thoroughly to avoid excess water in the vinaigrette.

Blend base

In a blender or small food processor combine chopped shallot, fresh mint leaves, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper. Pulse 6–8 times until the shallot is broken down and the mint is finely chopped but still bright green.

Emulsify

With the blender running on low, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil until the dressing emulsifies and becomes slightly thickened. If the vinaigrette is too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon cold water and pulse once to loosen.

Taste and adjust

Taste the vinaigrette and adjust acidity, sweetness, or salt as needed — add more lemon or vinegar for brightness, honey for sweetness, or salt for seasoning. Transfer to a jar and chill if not using immediately; flavors meld after 20–30 minutes.

Prepare romaine

Trim the romaine hearts, discarding the root end and any limp outer leaves. Roughly chop or tear the romaine into bite-size pieces, then rinse and spin or pat dry. Place romaine in a large mixing bowl.

Prepare other salad components

Slice hearts of palm into 1/4" rounds if not pre-sliced. Thinly slice one shallot (for the salad; separate from the one used in the dressing) and place in cold water for 5 minutes to soften bite and reduce sharpness, then drain and pat dry. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Pit and halve the Castelvetrano olives if not already pitted. Cube the watermelon into 1/2" pieces. Finely chop the parsley-cilantro mix (50/50).

Combine

Add hearts of palm, drained shallot slices, cherry tomato halves, Castelvetrano olives, watermelon cubes, and chopped parsley-cilantro mix to the bowl with romaine. Toss gently to combine, taking care not to break the watermelon pieces.

Dress the salad

Pour 3–4 tablespoons of the mint-shallot vinaigrette over the salad (about 1–1.5 tablespoons per serving as a starting point). Toss gently and taste; add additional vinaigrette if desired so flavors are balanced but the salad is not soggy.

Season and finish

Season the tossed salad with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. If using, sprinkle toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds and scatter microgreens or baby herb sprigs over the top for visual appeal and texture.

Serve

Plate the salad onto chilled plates or serve family-style in the mixing bowl. Serve immediately so the watermelon remains crisp and the romaine stays crunchy.