I'll be honest, when I first heard about using hearts of palm to make kosher "crab" cakes, I was skeptical. But after one bite of these flaky, golden patties, I was completely sold. The texture is surprisingly close to the real thing, and the flavor? Absolutely delicious. Hearts of palm come from the inner core of certain palm trees, and they have this naturally sweet, slightly briny taste that works perfectly in these cakes. I like to use the canned variety because it's easier to find and already has that tender texture we want. The key is draining them really well and then shredding them by hand into bite-sized pieces. Don't use a food processor here because you'll end up with mush instead of those nice chunky pieces that give the cakes their texture. What makes these cakes work so well is the binding mixture. I use a combination of mayonnaise, egg, and just enough breadcrumbs to hold everything together without making them heavy. A touch of Dijon mustard adds some tang, while Old Bay seasoning gives that classic seafood flavor we're after. Fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice brighten everything up. These are perfect for a fancy Shabbat dinner or when you want something special for guests. I like to serve them over a bed of mixed greens with a dollop of tartar sauce or aioli on the side. They also work great as an appetizer, just make them a bit smaller. You can even make the mixture ahead of time and form the patties right before cooking.