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Monday, June 2, 2008

Vote: ARUGULA


I am making a passionate plea for more folks to embrace arugula. It is such the quintessential Italian green. Toss it with very good olive oil and lemon juice, as a salad. Layer it on pizza. Throw it into a beautiful pasta of pancetta, olive oil, lemon juice, and parmesan. It is an ingredient that speaks immediately of all things Italian. And it adds a spice and heat which makes you think.

And of course, it deserves rose. My current Italian love........Muri Gries Lagrein Rosato 2007...minerally and driven by rock. Good with spicey green things as well...

3 comments:

andrew engle said...

Arugula Rocks !! if you can find it try Wild Sylvetta...True Ital. Arugula....Satur Farm usually sells it in the summer to Citarella and King Cullen in Brig.

Chef said...

US importers call the Italian wild arugula which is called Rucolla and is the base of a classic kind of pesto for pasta. That particular varietal has a thinner and longer leaf, slightly darker green and has also a very pronounced peppery taste. You have to try it;its name is "Roquette" in the south of France

Christian Troy said...

You're not going to believe this, but Steve Latham (lawyer in town, friend of the family's, and semi-pro gardiner is (I think) growing that very kind your referring to by the truck load. At least, that was the type of arugula I had the other night. Spicey as hell- almost like very young Italian Tuscan first press olive oil. A green heat. Delicious stuff.