Focus: ARUGULA (Eruca sativa)

Arugula, which is also known as rocket, roquette or rucola, is dark green and very flavorful, with a punguent peppery taste.  It is a member of the mustard family.  Somehow it has gotten a reputation as just a gourmet food favored by food snobs.  In fact arugula is Italian peasant food - enjoyed by humble people for hundreds of years as either a fresh salad green or a cooked vegetable.  Tuscans have endless uses for arugula: chopped for a pizza topping,  sliced into soups or pasta or raw in salads.  You can eat arugula without shame or fear of being called "an elitist". 

Because arugula has such an assertive flavor, it is well suited for combination with other strong flavors such as blue cheese, citrus, olives, garlic, goat cheese and cured meats.   One especially harmonious combination - which is not uncommon to see on restaurant menus - is pears, arugula, walnuts and goat cheese.  I think it would be fun to experiment with this combination in different guises - such as salad, sandwich, omelet, pizza or with pasta -- you get the idea.  I would even throw in a few roasted beets for color and extra nutrition.

It likes cool weather and is best enjoyed in the spring and fall.  If you are an impatient gardener - plant some arugula.  With any luck you will only have to wait about 4-5 weeks from planting to harvest for medium sized leaves - depending on the time of year.

Nutrition
Arugula is high in vitamins A and C, iron and calcium.  There are only TWO calories in a half cup serving.  (Once you add some olive oil, that number goes up fast!)

Storage
Arugula is fairly perishable - it has a high water content and wilts easily.   Refrigerate unwashed and  tightly wrapped.  Ideally you should use it within 3-4 days.  You can try to extend its life by putting the stems in a half glass of water, covering the leaves and glass with a plastic bag and storing in the refrigerator.  Compost discolored or yellow leaves - they have gotten too old.

Preparation
Wash arugula well (it is probably a good idea to give it a swish in 2 or even 3 changes of water)  in a large sink or pan of water.  Allow a little time for the grit to sink, since the leaves are often sandy. Spin dry for use in a salad.  You only need to shake dry or drain in a colander if you will be cooking the arugula.

Raw:
Dress lightly with olive oil and lemon juice and use as a bed for grilled food.
Use instead of lettuce in a BLT or other sandwich
Make a salad.  By itself, arugula is good dressed with a simple vinaigrette - good olive oil, white wine or champagne vinegar, salt, freshly ground pepper and shaved parmesan.  Or combine with a milder green such as butter lettuce for a nice contrast and balance.  Or add some thinly sliced red onion, apple and fennel to an arugula salad.
Slice into strips and add to a bean, pasta or potato salad.  Or put on top of a pizza as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Add chopped arugula to an uncooked tomato-garlic sauce for pasta.  A few chopped Greek olives would be nice, too.

Cooked:
Do not boil arugula - it will destroy its characteristic flavor.  Gentle steaming - using just residual moisture from washing - for 2-3 minutes is all that is necessary.  Arugula can also be stir fried or sauteed.  Just add at the end of the preparation of a dish and cook until wilted.

Pesto:
I have seen many recommendations for substituting raw arugula for some or all of the basil in standard pesto recipes.  I have not tried this so cannot give you an opinion on the outcome. I also have seen arugula pesto recipes which call for steaming the arugula and squeezing it dry before using in a pesto.

Recipe: Arugula, caramelized onion and goat cheese pizza
This is a nice recipe which uses whole wheat tortillas as a crust.  Quick, easy, and low calorie.  You could also use a more traditional crust.
Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1 medium red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
4 cups raw arugula - washed, dried and sliced or chopped
4 6 inch whole wheat tortillas
2 ounces goat cheese (blue cheese would be nice too)
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Saute the onion, slowly, in the olive oil for about 10 minutes - until golden brown.
Add the arugula and cook about one minute more.
Place tortillas on a baking sheet.  Top each with the arugula onion mixture.  Divide cheese among pizzas.  Bake about 10 minutes until tortillas are crisp and cheese is slightly melted.

Inspiration - Week #13

In this week's Grande box:  Napa cabbage, mixed salad greens, arugula, white onions, watermelon, summer squash (zucchini and yellow), potatoes, cherry tomatoes, roma-type and slicing tomatoes.  (some of you might get some radishes)

Do you have a working stove, sink and refrigerator in your kitchen?  A counter and floor that is not covered with power tools?   Yes?  You are a lucky stiff.   This is what my kitchen looks like right now. 

I am not complaining, because this mess is a temporary inconvenience and the end result will be a new kitchen floor.  Our old floor got wrecked when the dishwasher (not that old) sprung a leak and water got under the floor and it bubbled up and started looking dimply all over and then I knew the floor was done for.  When my appliance guy, Hoogie Hanson (no relation but I value our relationship), comes to reconnect the offending dishwasher, I will have to ask if he can take on the nonfunctional burner on my gas cook top - and the broken heating element in my top oven.  I am doing my part to keep the economy going.  Sigh.

But even if my kitchen is currently somewhat of a disaster zone, you still have to eat this week.  So let's talk about some meal ideas.  But wait - I do want to share one day brightener.   Did you know that starting in 2011, all children in England ages 11-14 will be required to take cooking classes?   Hats off to the Brits.  They are taking serious steps to reverse obesity trends and improve the health of their people.  Did you take a cooking class in junior high or high school?  Do your children even have that option available to them?  I am going to keep my eye on this English initiative.  Of course the key will be in the curriculum.  I hope they teach them how to cook some vegetables properly.  The English do not have a good reputation for doing right by their vegs.  The heartbreak of overcooking.

Now --  let's talk about some menu ideas.  First, don't let the size of the Napa cabbage scare you.  This vegetable cooks down quite a bit.  You can handle it, I promise.  And I hope you are not getting tired of tomatoes.  I plan to talk about tomatoes a lot this week -- it is all part of getting ready for winter.  And isn't it nice to get some mixed salad greens again?  Time to make a jar of vinaigrette if you don't have any around.  The arugula is in beautiful shape.  I provide a recipe below for cooking arugula - briefly - in a caramelized onion sauce.  I also encourage you to save out a least a few leaves to eat fresh.  They have a lovely peppery bite.  Would be nice in a sandwich with some roasted vegetables or even egg salad.  If you have any beets around, some roasted beets would go well in a salad with arugula.

As usual, where you see an asterisk you know there is a recipe at the end of the post.

Hurry, Curry!
Potato - onion curry*, rice,  fresh tomato chutney*, plain yogurt (side dish) , melon.


A toast to cabbage
Napa cabbage braised in beer with kielbasa*, buttered egg noodles or spaetzle, tossed lettuce salad with cherry tomatoes  (Save some of your cabbage for making cole slaw for burrito night)

Fun Fiesta
Burritos with refried beans, onions and zucchini (grate or shred zucchini and saute with onion before using as burrito filling), cheese optional;  fresh tomato-chile salsa, Mexican cole slaw*; melon with a slice of fresh lime

Date or guest night pasta dinner
Antipasto of cured meat, olives, roasted peppers; Pasta with caramelized onion and arugula sauce*; bread; Lemon sorbet or ice or granita; espresso - serve with a piece of dark chocolate.

Lazy weekend breakfast
Frittata with onions, sweet peppers, zucchini, basil, tomatoes and mozzarella or feta cheese; roasted potatoes; zucchini bread or muffins (recipe will be in Saturday post)

RECIPES

Potato onion curry (serves 4)
Ingredients
About 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
About 3/4 pound onions, peeled and roughly chopped
2 t. finely minced fresh garlic
1 inch piece fresh ginger - finely minced
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. turmeric powder
salt to taste - about 3/4 t.
2-3 T. oil
Saute all the spices in oil for about 5 minutes.  Add onions and cook in oil 5 more minutes.  Add potatoes, cover and cook until vegetables are soft.  Add water or broth if mixture seems too dry.  If you have fresh or frozen peas, add a handful at the very end of cooking for nice color, flavor and extra nutrition.
Serve with rice, plain yogurt on the side and tomato chutney

Fresh Tomato Chutney (1)
Chop a half pound of tomatoes and one onion.  Add to a bowl with the following ingredients:
2 T. vinegar
2 t. chili powder
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
Fresh chiles, minced, or red pepper flakes, if desired
Saute 1 t. mustard seed in 2 T. oil.  After a few minutes, add the rest of the ingredients.  Simmer slowly until thickened.  Store in refrigerator.

Fresh Tomato Chutney (2)
Chop together:  1 pound tomatoes; 1 large onion;  fresh chiles, to taste; salt, to taste

Napa cabbage braised in beer with kielbasa (serves 4)
One cup sliced onions
1 T. butter or olive oil or a combination
1 bottle (12 oz.) of beer
1 pound kielbasa or other polish type sausage, sliced
Two pounds shredded or thinly sliced cabbage (you could use white cabbage, savoy or napa.  You also could use collards or kale)
salt, pepper (red or black or both) to taste
Heat a large pot, add the butter/oil and then the onions.  Stir, cover and cook on medium low heat about 5 minutes. Then uncover, raise heat, add sausage and cook until onions and sausages are browned.  Add cabbage, beer, salt and pepper.  Cover and cook for about 30 minutes - stirring occasionally.  You want the cabbage soft but not mushy.

Cole slaw with a Mexican twist
Finely shred or slice napa or other cabbage - about 1 cup cabbage, lightly packed, per serving.  Mix with the following dressing (about 1 T. per serving).  Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro or toasted pumpkin seeds or both,  if available.

1/2 cup oil (olive or canola)
2 T fresh lime juice
1/2 t. salt
1 t. sugar
1 t. chili powder
1/4 t. (or to taste)red pepper flakes or minced chiles, according to taste

Caramelized onion and arugula pasta sauce (enough for 4-5 servings of pasta - one pound)
1/4  cup olive oil
About 6 cups thinly sliced onions
1/2 t. salt
About 1/2 cup dry white wine, maybe a bit more
About 2 cups arugula, stemmed and sliced - lightly packed
Optional - about 1/2 cup chopped or sliced proscuitto or pancetta.  (La Quercia, an Iowa company making a line of artisanal cured pork products,  sells proscuitto crumbles would which would work well here.  Not cheap but adds a lot of flavor and a little goes a long way.)

Saute onions in oil over medium heat about 15 minutes (maybe cover a few minutes to hold in a little extra moisture).  Add salt, stir, lower heat and cook for about another 30 minutes - until onions are a rich brown and caramelized to your liking.  Add white wine and meat, if you are using it.  Cook another 10-15 minutes.  (You can be cooking the pasta now if you want.  Or this sauce can be made ahead and finished off when pasta is ready.)

Finishing the sauce - heat onions, add arugula and cook for 5 minutes.  Stir hot cooked, drained pasta into the sauce and serve.   Nice optional topping - chopped toasted walnuts and grated parmesan