A is for Arugula

Arugula is an annual green, a member of the Brassicaceae family. It's great for salads and actually fairly easy to grow from seed. I got two bags of Baby Arugula last Saturday at the Fair Food Farm Stand and we munched on it all week in simple side salads.

This bunch from Paradise Organics in Lancaster, PA was wild, which gave it a slight spicy kick, which I love. The wild arugula paired with a simple vinaigrette (extra virgin olive oil and juice of fresh lemons) was a great side to some of our dinners this past week. As a standalone, I added some dried cranberries and some leftover chicken breast to be heartier and tossed it all together with some fresh parmesan.

Arugula is a great source of Vitamins A and C, rich in potassium, and even considered be an aphrodisiac (!). Though its origins trace way back to the Roman Empire, it was all but adopted as the USofA's official salad green in the mid 1990's. Generally used as a salad green, it has limitless possibilities - cooked, added to pasta sauces and meats, pizza, and even made into pesto...

For Arugula Pesto, take a bunch of arugula and remove the stems. Pan brown three or four large garlic cloves in olive oil. Finely chop the arugula and add the garlic cloves, a 1/2 cup of fresh parmesan and chopped arugula to a blender or food processor, and on a low setting, blend while adding 1/2 a cup of olive oil. Remember to taste the sauce frequently as you add more of one ingredient or another.