Vicki Wanted to Know...
...what my A, for the ABC Along, would have been if I hadn't needed Antibiotics. I had several things in mind, before illness set in, and had started posts (in my head) about each one, trying to decide which would best of all. As I shopped for dinner on Saturday (with a renewed appetite) I found a lovely fresh box of my favorite salad greens and decided right then and there to answer Vicki's question...so, A is for...
Arugula!!!
I love this tart, peppy green more than any other. It's strong flavor holds up to many good vinaigrettes, cheeses, meats, nuts and anything else you want to throw into the mix. It's a great green for steak salad, pasta dishes, pizza (a personal favorite), and soups. It also works perfectly in simple salads as it stands alone nicely. One of my favorite simple salads is a handful of arugula, pine nuts (any nut you have is nice), Parmesan shavings (bleu cheese, feta or goat cheese are lovely, too), baby tomatoes (or none) and a simple citrus dressing. Heaven, it's heaven, I tell you.
Arugula Haiku
Leafy green delight
Peppery flavor explodes
Fills the mouth with joy
If you have a special dressing or favorite arugula dish I'd love to hear about it, as I'm always ready for new ways to enjoy my special green.
Sadly Smith isn't as enamored of arugula as I am, but he still humors me and, maybe he'll learn to love it, too.
I made an arugula soup this summer. It tasted good but, sadly, it was the color of bile. I think I'll keep my arugula in salads from now on.
Posted by: Carole | January 17, 2008 at 04:52 AM
I love arugula too. One of my favorites is to serve it with pears. The sweet pears work beautifully with the peppery arugula.
My DH hates one of my favorites, beets. All the more for me, I figure!
Posted by: Kirsten | January 17, 2008 at 05:15 AM
Yum! Surprisingly, I've never tried it, but sounds like a green for my hot dressing: in EEVO, heat sliced sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, shaved garlic, crispy bacon. More od a side dish thing than a dressing, but tasty. Glad you're on the road to recovery!
Posted by: Carol | January 17, 2008 at 05:20 AM
Mmmm. That looks delicious! I've been taking mixed-green salads to work all week!
(Speaking of Smith, what's the mustache status?)
Posted by: Vicki | January 17, 2008 at 05:22 AM
Obviously I haven't been giving arugula the attention it deserves. :)
Posted by: Chris | January 17, 2008 at 06:08 AM
Mmmmmm, I love arugula too. Great haiku!
Posted by: Teresa C | January 17, 2008 at 06:09 AM
ok, i'll be over for lunch; thanks.
Posted by: marie in florida | January 17, 2008 at 06:09 AM
Mmm, arugala.
Perhaps you should serve it with every meal until he grows his mustache back...
Posted by: Loribird | January 17, 2008 at 06:16 AM
I love its peppery flavor too.
Can't stop laughing at Carole's description of arugula soup!
Posted by: Manise | January 17, 2008 at 07:04 AM
Our favorite restaurant has a simple beef carpaccio and arugula with lemon juice and capers appetizer. I've been know to eat two servings for dinner. Yummmmmmmmm.
Posted by: deb | January 17, 2008 at 07:05 AM
Mmmm I do like arugula. I really love most green leafy stuff though. My husband isn't a fan and teases me that my salads often look like someone raked their lawn and put it on a plate for me.
Posted by: Hillary | January 17, 2008 at 07:15 AM
Sorry this is going to be long:
Toss a bag of arugula in a large bowl with some olive oil and pressed garlic. Cook your favorite pasta, drain and pour over greens (important to do that so the arugula wilts a little). Add a basket of cherry or grape tomatoes, a 1/2 cup to a cup of kalamata olives, and some crumbled Feta (or if you prefer, grated parmesan). Toss, add a touch more olive oil if needed, and some freshly ground pepper.
One of our favorite quick and healthy dinners!
Posted by: no-blog-rachel | January 17, 2008 at 07:17 AM
I'll have someting on my blog for you tomorrow. HEY! We all need blog fodder from time to time. You made me want to run out and get some. If I weren't having a snow day, I would. (let me have my delusions) :D
Posted by: Stacey | January 17, 2008 at 08:02 AM
I don't have any recipes for you, I make it the same way you describe, but did you know they call it "rocket" in the UK? We discovered this while ordering salads in a museum cafe. LOVE IT!
Posted by: Heather Joins The Round | January 17, 2008 at 08:04 AM
I don't think I've ever had a salad with arugula only. Usually it's mixed with other greens. I should give it a try.
Posted by: Wool Winder | January 17, 2008 at 08:49 AM
I grew arugula in my garden last year - I'm planning on devoting even more space to it this year. Yum!
There's a great scene in the movie "Big Trouble" where a guy under the influence of hallucinogenic toad juice (I kid you not) sees Martha Stewart's face on his dog, and it keeps saying/barking "Arugula! Arugula!" It always makes me laugh. I love that movie.
Posted by: Cheryl S. | January 17, 2008 at 08:53 AM
One of the pleasures of having a vegetable garden is that you never know in advance which of the things you plant is going to thrive. Last summer was the summer of arugula. I had at least some arugula in my salad every day from late May into October (some from an early planter and the rest from the vegetable plot). And I have sitting on my kitchen counter a little dish of dried arugula seed pods, to be planted starting in late March (in the deck planter).
Posted by: aliceq | January 17, 2008 at 08:56 AM
Arugula is my favorite green too! It's fabulous on pizza (after the cooking of the tomato and base). Hummm, hot sweet tomato and crisp pungent arugula: heaven.
Posted by: Polly | January 17, 2008 at 09:08 AM
Mmmm, fresh leafy green things. Another reason to anticipate spring.
Posted by: Lucia | January 17, 2008 at 09:23 AM
FUN! Love this Additional A Post and Love Arugula - YUMMY! That salad looks fantastic, Actually! :)
And love your Haiku. You should do a Haiku for all of your ABC-along posts. XOXOXOX
Posted by: Laura | January 17, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Glad you're feeling better and the Appetite has returned! I love arugula too; DH not unless it's served wilted, with lardons and crumbled cheese. Alas, every variety I've tried in my garden turns out 'way too hot.
Posted by: Ina | January 17, 2008 at 11:34 AM
Coming out of lurk land:
Arugula
thinly sliced pears (Asian if you can get'em)
pecans or walnuts
Blue cheese (or variant)
Raspberry vinaigrette (low or no fat is fine)
Ummmmmmm........
Posted by: Cindy in Happy Valley | January 17, 2008 at 01:38 PM
Mmmmm. Hungry! Look at you, getting 2 mofo's in with one post! An A post and a haiku! :)
Mmmmm. Arugula. Probably not today with the...you know, swollen things.
Posted by: Sandy | January 17, 2008 at 02:27 PM
Margene I have been so out of touch and I am sorry to hear you have been so sick; believe me you have my complete empathy. Glad you are on the mend.
As for your A, I love Arugula; it is so peppery and yummy - I have only had it on salads...well actually I have used it in place of lettuce on sandwiches which is also good...if you are enamored of the green...
Posted by: Cynthia | January 17, 2008 at 04:01 PM
I love it too!! I like it with honey mustard dressing and goat cheese.
Posted by: Birdsong | January 17, 2008 at 05:15 PM
Oh, I love arugula, and those salad combos are delicious sounding! Mmmmm, I wish I had some right now.
Posted by: Norma | January 17, 2008 at 07:17 PM
My SIL loves it. I'm with Smith.
Posted by: Sharon | January 17, 2008 at 10:27 PM
Oh how I love Arugula! It is perfect with a little bit of high quality extra virgin olive oil and some lemon juice on it and maybe a few pine nuts thrown in.
It is the perfect salad.
Posted by: Debbie | January 19, 2008 at 09:25 AM
I love arugula. Queen of salad greens, I think. Sheep's milk yoghurt dressing with a touch of chopped dill and green onions and papper, with some red pepper diced, and a bit of avocado on top (scooped out of the shell in pieces with a spoon).
Posted by: Laurie | January 19, 2008 at 04:43 PM
Yum!
Posted by: kathleen | January 19, 2008 at 06:08 PM