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Preparation, uses, and tips

Wash arugula leaves thoroughly, immersing them completely in cold water to remove grit. Pat dry, or spin dry in a salad spinner. Toss fresh arugula with salad greens, or add to most soups and stews near the end of cooking time.

Buying and storing tips

Look for bright green, fresh-looking leaves with no sign of wilting or browning, and fresh clean roots. Store arugula in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, and use it within a couple of days.

Nutritional Value

Baby arugula provides vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and calcium.

Fruit-Cheese-Greens Salad

Fresh plums, apricots, and/or strawberries
Black Fig vinegar (or balsamic)
Good feta or cottage cheese
Arugula

Slice plums, apricots and strawberries into a bowl. Splash on a little of the vinegar, stir gently to coat. Place a handful of arugula on each plate, topped with either a scoop of good creamy cottage cheese topped by the fruit, or topped with the fruit followed by a coarse crumble of feta. The sweet fig or balsamic vinegar really makes the fruit pop, and the combination of that with the crisp, peppery arugula and the piquant cottage cheese or salty feta is just amazing. Be sure to get a bit of each in each mouthful!

Substitutions and additions:

• Some of the Asian greens have a peppery bite similar to the arugula, and would work well instead or in combination with. You could also use the sweeter butter lettuce or red leaf (or oak leaf) lettuces. You'd lose that peppery contribution, but the salad would still taste good (and I'd do that over not making the salad just 'cause I didn't have arugula!)

• The Black Fig vinegar I discovered last year – it is dark and fragrant, and sweeter even than balsamic. Balsamic would work equally well though. Another good substitute would be a fruity vinegar like raspberry or black raspberry, possibly mixed with a dab of honey if it is too sour, or if the fruit is on the tart side.

• If you only had sweet leafy greens, you might consider adding a dab of mustard to the sweet vinegar to provide the 'pop'.

• If you like bleu cheese, that, too would make a good substitute in the cheese dept.

• Additions of toasted nuts like walnuts or pecans are good for crunch and fragrance.

• Very thinly sliced sweet onion, separated into rings and scattered on top are also a welcome addition.

Recipe submitted by Raine Figaro CSA member

Linguine with Arugula, Pine Nuts, and Parmesan Cheese

1 lb linguine
1/2 cup olive oil
4 oz arugula, trimmed
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Additional freshly grated parmesan cheese. Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add arugula and stir until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

Drain pasta and return to pot. Add arugula and toss well. Add 1 cup parmesan and salt and pepper to taste; toss well. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve immediately, passing additional parmesan separately. Serves 6

Source: Bon Appetit

Beet and Arugula Salad

1/2 lb arugula
1 small bunch beets without leaves (about 3 medium)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

Peel beets and cut into 1/2-inch wedges. In a steamer set over boiling water, steam beets until tender, about 10 minutes, and transfer to a bowl. Discard course stems from arugula. Wash arugula well and dry. In a bowl whisk together vinegar and salt and pepper to taste and whisk in oil until emulsified. Pour half of vinaigrette over beets and toss well. To vinaigrette remaining in bowl add arugula and toss well. Arrange arugula and beets on 2 plates. Serves 2.

Source: Gourmet, March 1997

Arugula and Tomato Salad

Wash and dry the arugula. Toss arugula with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Add chopped tomatoes and serve. (Chopped green garlic optional).

Hill Country Arugula Pesto - courtesy Elaine DiRico

2 cups arugula (about 3 ounces)
2 Tablespoons toasted pecans*
2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan
2-3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, and blanch the arugula in the boiling water for 3-5 seconds to set the color. Drain well.

Blend everything but the olive oil in a food processor or blender. When it is evenly chopped and smooth, start to add the olive oil while continuing to blend, until a smooth sauce forms.

This can be kept for a couple of weeks refrigerated in a tightly sealed jar. When you use it, let it come to room temperature unless you are adding it to a hot dish, such as pasta with chopped tomatoes. (Yummy!) When you return it to the refrigerator, pour a thin layer of olive oil on top to make an air tight seal and prevent discoloration. Just stir the oil in the next time you use it. This is a wonderful sauce for chicken or fish, and pretty as well, a sunny green color. It is a nice dip for bread, more interesting than just oil, and with a little lemon juice, makes a salad dressing instantly.

Chipotle is a grand addition to this adding a smoky heat that is perfect tossed with pasta and a wonderful cheese. A pinch of dry powder, or about half a teaspoon of canned chile adds a subtle kick, but I use 1/2 a chipotle in adobo sauce and serve it tossed with pasta to ease the burn.

*To toast the pecans, heat a dry (no oil) skillet over medium-high, add the pecans, and turn off the heat, stirring a couple of times, until they are cool enough to handle.

Greek Salad With Baby Mint, Oregano, and Feta

By Elaine Gavalas

Serves 4

Greeks pick new mint leaves growing wild in the field. Fortunately, we can pick our own fresh mint in season in our gardens or at our local markets. You can use any kind of mint in this recipe, but my favorites are spearmint and peppermint.

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Greek)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Salt to taste (go easy on the salt as the feta cheese is salty)
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 cups mixed salad greens (such as spinach, radicchio, endive, arugula, baby lettuce, and romaine hearts), rinsed and patted dry, then torn or chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh, baby mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano
• 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives
• 4 ounces feta cheese (preferably Greek), crumbled

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a salad bowl. Add the salad greens, baby mint leaves, dried Greek oregano, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and Kalamata olives. Toss to mix well. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with feta before serving.

Herb Companion

Arugula Pasta Salad with Wild Mushrooms

This is a warm salad in which the arugula barely gets wilted from the heat of the pasta. It includes low-fat goat cheese that may not be available in your area, but since the amount is so small, regular goat cheese won't add that much more fat.

Serves 4

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
Kosher salt
1 pound orecchiette (ear-shaped) pasta or other short pasta
2 bunches arugula
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 ounces prosciutto
2 ounces low-fat goat cheese, crumbled

1. Put mushrooms in a small bowl with 1 cup hot water for 30 minutes. Drain through a cheesecloth, reserving liquid. Chop coarsely or cut into thin strips.

2. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water and 1 teaspoon salt to boil on the stove for pasta. Cook orecchiette until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

3. While pasta cooks, trim roots from arugula, wash in lots of cool water, and drain. Cut crosswise into ½ inch-wide strips. Put arugula in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, combine oil, wine, vinegar, shallots, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup of reserved mushroom liquid (save the leftover liquid for soups or stocks).

4. Stack slices of prosciutto and cut crosswise into thin strips. Add cooked pasta to arugula along with prosciutto, cheese, and reserved porcini. Add dressing and toss.

Cooking Tip
Normally prosciutto is sliced very thin at the deli or butcher shop. For this recipe and others like it, ask for thicker slices, about six per four ounces. This makes the prosciutto easier to cut into strips.