Wizard Recipes

Arugula is an annual that grows 8 to 24 inches high. It has dull- or shinygreen, deeply cut, compound leaves that are edible and have a distinctive spicy, pungent flavor resembling horseradish.

The vegetable was formerly called roquette (the French word for rocket), but the term “arugula” is now becoming more common.

The arugula can be divided into smoothedged or serrated-leafed varieties. Some arugula varieties are wild, although most are cultivated. The flavor varies depending on variety.

Origin & Botanical facts

Arugula belongs to the Cruciferae family and is a close relative of the mustard. Ancient Egyptians and Romans considered arugula leaves in salads to be an aphrodisiac. It is a minor crop in the southeastern United States, grown to a limited extent commercially and in home vegetable gardens.

Seeds often are listed in seed catalogs as “roquette” under the category of herbs.

A cool season vegetable best grown in Florida during the fall, winter, and spring, it matures from seed in 2 to 3 months. Periods of very warm temperatures cause it to bolt (go to seed) rather quickly. Few pests attack the arugula.

Uses

The freshest, crispest leaves free of brown spots should be chosen. Arugula should be used as soon as possible after purchasing. If necessary, after removing any wilted leaves, the remaining unwashed leaves can be refrigerated for no more than 2 days in a plastic bag.

The zesty leaves can be used raw in salads by themselves or tossed with other greens. Arugula also can be added to soups or lightly cooked and served as a side dish. The arugula is widely consumed in the Middle East as a garnish on meats and sandwiches. Tiny arugula blossoms also can be added to salads.

Nutrient composition

Arugula provides some vitamin A.

Asparagus

Asparagus is a member of the lily family and is related to onions, leeks, and garlic. It is cultivated for its edible young shoots, which are long and unbranched with compact, pointed tips made of tiny leaves.

Varieties

Two basic varieties of asparagus, white and green, are cultivated. The green variety is the only one grown on a commercial scale in the United States, whereas the white is preferred in Europe.

White asparagus is produced by banking soil against the plant to keep out sunlight, which otherwise would turn the stalks green. Also available, although not common, is a violet variety, with pinkish purple shoots and tips.

Origin & botanical facts

Asparagus was first cultivated in Greece about 2,500 years ago. In fact, the name asparagus is Greek for “stalk” or “shoot.” The ancient Greeks believed that asparagus had medicinal qualities and could cure toothaches and bee stings.

The cultivation of asparagus was adopted by the Romans, who carried it throughout Europe and Great Britain. From there, its popularity spread to the rest of the world. Traditionally, asparagus was a Northern Hemisphere crop, but today it is cultivated worldwide. The United States is the world’s largest supplier of asparagus, with most cultivation concentrated in California.

The asparagus plant is a perennial but requires three seasons to mature. In its first season, a crown forms with 6 inches of root. In its second season, the crown develops into a fern.

Asparagus can be harvested in its third season, but the plant does not reach its prime until 6 to 8 years of age. At peak age, an asparagus field can yield up to 2 tons per acre. Because its growing season is short and it must be harvested by hand, asparagus can be expensive.

Asparagus appears in American markets as early as February, when the first California crops are harvested, but the peak season in the West is from late April to late May and, elsewhere in the United States, from May through July.

Throughout the rest of the year, fresh asparagus may be available from Mexico and South America.

Uses

Asparagus stalks of similar width with tightly closed tips should be selected. Young asparagus is thinner and generally more tender. Fresh asparagus should be stored in the refrigerator with the cut ends immersed in water and should be used within a day or two.

Fresh asparagus is best steamed or microwaved until just crisp-tender. Steaming should be done quickly, with the spears in an upright position to heat the stalks evenly. The spears also can be roasted briefly in the oven with a little olive oil.

Cooked asparagus is best served immediately and simply, without rich sauces. Asparagus spears also can be cut into diagonal pieces and stir-fried. Asparagus is also available canned or frozen. Frozen spears are closer to fresh spears in flavor and nutrition. The canned variety is less nutritious.

Nutrient composition

Asparagus is a good source of vitamin C and is an excellent source of folate. It also contains glutathione, an antioxidant that promotes health.

Many strange-sounding names float around on lists of salad ingredients in fashionable recipe books these days. But not many of us are lucky enough to live close to a well-stocked greengrocer or supermarket with a full array of new-age baby greens.

Often even the produce manager of a large supermarket can’t tell you what you are holding in your hand unless it is next to the sign that labels it.

To help ease the confusion, here is a brief list of “new” ingredients, few of which are actually new. Their availability in quantity is new, thanks to the demands of innovative chefs and today’s eating trends. I have included old stand-byes, too, with alternative names. Names, by the way, vary somewhat in different part of the country.

1. Iceberg or head lettuce is the most popular though the least nutritional of all the salad greens and taste rather blah, like a piece from an iceberg. When you say lettuce, most people conjure up a picture of an iceberg lettuce head. It is easy to grow, easy to store, has a long shelf life and it transports well.

That makes it inexpensive, always available, crisp and crunchy. Ever discover a hidden head weeks after tucking it into the refrigerator? It may be a little brown around the edges, even slimy here and there. But the inside is perfectly crisp and usable.

2. Romaine or cos lettuce has broad, stiff, upright leaves. It is the hardiest of all the lettuces and has the strongest flavor, though it is still mild. Great by itself, it is also good mixed with the more delicate salad greens as it adds a firm, extra crunchytexture and sturdiness.

3. Butter head , bibb, Boston, limestone or butter crunch lettuces are very tender and mild buttery-flavored. They form small loose heads. The various names refer to varieties, but they are fully interchangeable in salads and are not much different in taste.

4. Red leaf and green leaf lettuces don’t form heads and don’t keep quite as long as iceberg lettuce. They, too, have a mild flavor, although more flavorful than iceberg. They add bulk and interest to salads with their slightly wavy-structured, attractive colored leaves.

5. Spinach is popular in salads because of its vivid, dark peacock green color. It stands out and contrasts well among the more subdued colors. Raw spinach has a very mild, almost bland, flavor compared to the cooked form of this vegetable.

6. The cabbage family includes a large number of mild to strong-flavored greens that you may use in small amount with other greens. White and red cabbage are the most common. Both stay fresh and crisp for a long time.

Red cabbage adds a most desirable red to fuchsia color to salads, and in mid-winter it may be the only salad ingredient with a reddish color contrast that doesn’t cut deep into your food budget.

The several varieties of oriental vegetables in the cabbage family, like bok choy and napa cabbage, are very mild, but crisp, beautifully-textured, attractive-colored and readily available.

7. Arugula, also called rocket or roquette, is a small-leaved green with spicy, tangy, unusual flavor that mixes well with any salad green. Some people find its flavor too aggressive-use it in moderation.