Old is New

     Despite arugula's trendy position atop pizza and under goat cheese disks, it did not just burst onto the American scene.   Sometimes known as rocket, particularly on the west coast, arugula was found in colonial gardens and has been a familiar entity in both the culinary and medicinal lexicon.  In fact, it was even mentioned in the Bible, as oroth.  It is well known as a spice, a food and a medicine.  Arugula was used as a treatment for eye infections, an aphrodisiac, a deodorant, a protection against dog bites, a digestive aid, a garden pest deterrent, and a salad green.  But what is new and noteworthy is its presence on the shelves in markets throughout the United States due to the increased interest in Mediterranean cuisine.

     The tender, mustard-sharp, bitter green is  standard fare as a seasoning leaf.  A relative of the radish, arugula is related to water cress and is more intense than most leafy greens.  It transforms any mild melange of salad greens into a tantalizing mesclun salad.  It balances sweet, sharp, salty, rich, and acid.

     Available year round, arugula varies markedly in size, tenderness, and bite.  It varies in heat and size with the season and climate.  Hot weather makes for hot leaves.  Usually sold in bunches, avoid those that are bruised, waterlogged, or yellowed.  The leaves hide sand no matter how clean they appear.  Swirl the leaves in plenty of water, then allow to stand for a moment and gradually lift them out of the bowl so that the sand is left in the bottom.  Spin dry the leaves and wrap in toweling and chill until ready to use.