arugula

a.k.a.  roquette, rocket, garden rocket, rucola
latin name: eruca sativa

zone:  Z10
type: annual
light: full sun or partial shade
height: 12-18” (30-45 cm)

description:  Arugula is an aromatic salad green.  This herb is popular in Italian cuisine.  It has a rich, peppery taste, and has an exceptionally strong flavour for a leafy green. It is generally used in salads but also cooked as a vegetable with pasta sauces or meats in northern Italy.  The flowers are small, white with dark centers and can be used in the salad for a light piquant flavor.  

harvest:  Simply pick the young leaves throughout the growing season and the plant will keep generating new ones for months.  The older leaves are a bit tougher and hotter.  Harvest as required for fresh use.  Flowers can also be harvested and used in salads.

culinary notes:  The leaves are delicious in salads or they can be used as a vegetable with pesto sauces or meats.  In Italy, rocket is also often used in pizzas, added just before the baking period ends or immediately afterwards, so that it won't wilt in the heat.   Dress the leaves with salt, lemon, oil, and vinegar, or simply serve arugula leaves with a little fresh parmesan cheese.