Season: Fall - Spring
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Eruca sativa is an annual plant growing to 20 to 100 centimetres (8 to 40 inches) in height. The pinnate leaves are deeply lobed with four to ten small lateral lobes and a large terminal lobe. The flowers are 2 to 4 cm (3⁄4 to 1+1⁄2 in) in diameter, arranged in a corymb, with the typical Brassicaceae flower structure. The petals are creamy white with purple veins, and the stamens are yellow. The fruit is a siliqua (pod) 12 to 25 mm (1⁄2 to 1 in) long with an apical beak, containing several seeds (which are edible).
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Mature Height
2 Feet |
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Mature Width
1 Feet |
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Light
Half Sun |
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Water
Moderate |
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Uses
Since Roman times in Italy, raw rocket has been added to salads. It is often added to a pizza at the end of or just after baking. It is also used cooked in Apulia, in southern Italy, to make the pasta dish cavatiéddi, "in which large amounts of coarsely chopped rocket are added to pasta seasoned with a homemade reduced tomato sauce and pecorino," as well as in "many unpretentious recipes in which it is added, chopped, to sauces and cooked dishes" or in a sauce (made by frying it in olive oil and garlic) used as a condiment for cold meats and fish.
Throughout Italy, it is used as a salad with tomatoes and with either burrata, bocconcini, buffalo, and mozzarella cheese. In Rome, rucola is used in straccetti, a dish of thin slices of beef with raw rocket and Parmesan cheese.
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RECIPES
Arugula Salad
Ingredients:
Salad
5 oz. baby arugula (full grown works too)
2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 cup dried cranberries (sweetened variety)
1/2 cup shaved parmesan (1.5 oz)
Dressing
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or 2.5 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Make the dressing: In a small mixing bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey and season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill for 15 minutes if time allows.
To assemble salad: Toss the arugula with about 2/3 of the dressing then on a serving platter or individual salad plates layer half the arugula, half the almonds, half the cranberries and half the Parmesan.
Repeat layering then drizzle with remaining 1/3 of the dressing. Serve right away.
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