Fresh and Peppery Arugula!
Discover > Texas Home Cooking > Fresh and Peppery Arugula!
You might be wondering why we're featuring a salad green this week, then you really should be wondering, why not? Arugula (how long does arugula last?) is not just ANY salad green, it's one of the best tasting ones (in this writer's opinion). With hydroponic farms now a norm all around Texas, nothing still beats the peppery and distinct taste of arugula that's harvested at peak season!
What Makes Arugula so Special?
For me, arugula ranks as one of Texas' top salad greens because it has BIG and BOLD flavors, just like the Lone Star State, big and bold! It also has a distinctly peppery crunch that adds life to any salad! They're also great to spice up cold dishes and it can replace other salad greens in any other application.
P.S. Try swapping out lettuce for arugula in your burgers and thank me later!
Arugula also has the same components in like parsley that can help combat sour breath or halitosis.
Tips for Selecting the Best Arugula
Arugula is a seasonal plant (unless you're getting it from a hydroponic farm) so late spring is always the best time to get them. They're also available until early fall so there's a lot of time to get them! Here some some tips to get the best value for your dollar when purchasing arugula, ie: not just picking the first bag you see!
Look for arugula that LOOKS fresh, this means that the leaves should be lush and green and without any yellow or pale patches
Avoid withered and slimy leaves or steam, we know this is probably true of any veggie, but we thought we'd just throw it out there as well
If you're buying arugula in a bag, check that there's no water in the bag. While it may sound like water will keep it fresh, the extra water in the bag will cause it to rot and lose its freshness faster!
Look for long and slender leaves
Arugula Varieties in Texas to Try
If you've only eaten the bagged arugula from supermarkets then you've probably only tried rocket arugula. There's more to arugula than that though. Here are some varieties that you might want to ask about the next time you're at a local farmers market shopping for your salad greens.
Astro Arugula - If you like arugula but finding the spiciness of the rocket variety then you might want to ask about the astro. It has the same peppery flavor but just a bit milder!
Garden Tangy - This variety comes from Italy and it has a bit of a kick to it and looks a bit like kale. This is also the perfect variety to garnish your Italian dishes!
Italian Cress - This arugula variety has wider leaves, making it perfect for those who want more flavor because of their broader leaves! No more skinny arugula problems!
Selvatica - This variant is quite popular in the Southern parts of Texas because of its heat tolerance. This is a bit skinnier and pluckier than the normal rocket variety, but it has all the same flavors!
Wasabi Variant - Looking for even bigger flavor? The wasabi cultivar of arugula is extra-spicy! Perfect for Asian inspired dishes that could do with another layer of "oomph" to them!
How to Enjoy Arugula
Personally, I love arugula added to any dish as a garnish or side salad, that peppery taste just adds a bit of excitement to any dish that I add it to! Don't overdo it though, just add a little bit to spice things up! In salads (What wine goes well with salads?) , just add about a third or a quarter by volume just to mix it up a little bit! If you're not using arugula immediately, make sure that they're dry. If pre-preparing for a dish for the next day, you can pre-wash the arugula but make sure to thoroughly dry them and put in some paper towels in the bag to absorb the excess moisture.
What Does Arugula Taste Like?
As mentioned earlier, fresh arugula leaves have a spicy kick that will boost the flavors in your salads, pasta, and sauces.
Depending on their maturity, the leaves can taste peppery, bright, tart, and slightly bitter.
Baby arugula has a delicate and mild taste while mature ones have a spicier taste. Its seeds are edible with a flavor similar to radish seed pods.
How to Cook Arugula?
This green can be eaten either uncooked or cooked. You can eat it uncooked in salads. Because of its peppery taste, many Texans love to add it to a lettuce blend.
Although it is usually used raw, you can add it to your cooked dishes, like spinach and other greens. One way to cook it is to saute the leaves or include the leaves in baked dishes.
You can use it in many ways. In Texas, it is strewn over a pizza. Instead of chopped parsley, this salad rocket is added to finish a dish.
It is also used in many recipes like soups, lasagnas, and crostinis.
Looking to explore arugula flavors? Click here to find a farmers market near you with our interactive Texas farmers market map. Looking for schedules and market updates? Check out our updates page here.
