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Arugula
Inventory, lb : 8.07
This item was last sold on : 12/08/22
Description/Taste
Arugula consists of deeply lobed, flat leaves connected to fibrous stems, growing in a loose, basal rosette. The leaves are generally harvested small in size, averaging 7 to 10 centimeters in length, and are smooth and bright green with prominent veining and frilled edges. The leaves are also attached to a white to pale green, fibrous stem, contributing to the leaf’s crisp, succulent, and slightly chewy consistency. Arugula can be picked young, and the immature greens carry a milder, sweeter flavor with a tender texture. The leaves can also be harvested mature, developing a distinct peppery, somewhat bitter, and vegetal taste with subtle mustard, nuts, and grass notes.
Seasons/Availability
Arugula is available year-round.
Current Facts
Arugula, botanically classified as Eruca sativa, is an ancient green growing 20 to 70 centimeters in height, belonging to the Brassicaceae or mustard family. The deeply lobed, herbaceous annual is native to the Mediterranean, where it has been used in medicinal and culinary applications for thousands of years. Arugula is also known by other names in Europe, including Rucola, Rocket, Roquette, and Ruchetta, and there are multiple varieties generally labeled under the Arugula descriptor, varying slightly in appearance and flavor. In the present-day, Arugula is favored worldwide as a peppery salad green, especially in Europe and North America, and has also become a common leaf used as both an herb and vegetable in a wide variety of culinary applications.
Nutritional Value
Arugula is an excellent source of vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning and vitamin C to strengthen the immune system while reducing inflammation. The peppery greens also provide calcium to protect bones and teeth and lower amounts of folate, iron, vitamin K, copper, zinc, and magnesium. In addition to vitamins and minerals, Arugula contains glucosinolates, which are compounds believed to have detoxifying properties and also give the leaves their pungent, slightly bitter flavor.
Applications
Arugula has a nutty, peppery flavor well suited for fresh and lightly cooked applications such as sautéing, blanching, and stir-frying. The greens can be used as a vegetable or an herb, and they can be utilized fresh, added at the end of cooked applications, or lightly cooked to create a milder flavor. The leaves can be tossed fresh into salads, blended into pesto, layered into sandwiches and burgers, or used as an edible bed for roasted meats. Arugula can also be floated on top of soups and stews, used as a topping over pizza, stirred into pasta and rice dishes, used as a spinach substitute for omelets, or served with boiled potatoes. Arugula pairs well with fruits such as berries, melons, pears, and citrus, cheeses, including gorgonzola, parmesan, burrata, goat, and blue, olives, tomatoes, broccolini, nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and pine, meats such as beef, poultry, and turkey, seafood, and anchovies. The deeply lobed leaves will keep 3 to 10 days when wrapped in a paper towel and kept in a plastic bag in the refrigerator's crisper drawer.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Arugula has historically been a staple ingredient in Italian cuisine as the subtly bitter, spicy cultivar was one of the most popular salad greens used in Ancient Rome. The peppery, frilled leaves were frequently mixed with romaine and chicory to create a balanced salad, and the greens were either served before the meal as a mild digestive or served after the main course to not compromise the flavor of the wine being served. Arugula was also blended into sauces for added potency and was notably used in the famous dish moretum. The name moretum roughly translates to mean “salad” and was traditionally a combination of cheeses, greens, oils, vinegar, and herbs pounded together using a mortar and pestle and served with bread. Another version of a Roman Arugula-herb sauce was poured over salted fish and served as an appetizer with olives, bread, or vegetables. Arugula provided pungency in sauces and was believed to help awaken drowsy people, bring good luck, and provide a clear mind. In the modern-day, Arugula is still a favorite green for Italian salads and is incorporated into pasta, pizza, rice, and roasted meat dishes. Arugula is also used to make rucolino, an after-dinner liqueur served as a digestif made from spirits infused with arugula, lemons, and spices.
Geography/History
Arugula is believed to be native temperate regions of the Mediterranean in Southern Europe and has been growing wild since ancient times. The plant's first written record dates back to the 1st century CE, and the spicy greens were widely used in Ancient Egyptian and Roman empires. Arugula was once believed to be an aphrodisiac, used in combination with lavender as a love potion to awaken the mind and body. Later in the early middle ages, the greens were naturalized in regions of Northern and Western Europe and became a common salad green incorporated in both upper class and civilian kitchens. Arugula was eventually introduced to the New World through European immigrants, and over time, the greens have experienced periods of immense popularity to seasons of disdain, with the most recent surge in the 1990s among American chefs and consumers. Today Arugula is common worldwide, cultivated through commercial growers and sown in home gardens as a pest-resistant plant. The nutty greens are also sold through farmer’s markets, specialty grocers, and supermarkets.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Al Fresko | Oceanside CA | 858-888-6294 |
| Searcher | San Diego CA | 619-226-2403 |
| Mesa College | San Diego CA | 619-388-2240 |
| Crown Point Catering | San Diego CA | 619-223-1211 |
| Mavericks Beach Club | San Diego CA | 858-999-0348 |
| Graze | San Diego CA | 619-839-9852 |
| Sheraton Carlsbad (20/20) | Carlsbad CA | 760-827-2400 |
| Lodge at Torrey Pines Main | San Diego CA | 858-453-4420 |
| The Plot | Oceanside CA | 422-266-8200 |
| Ballast Point Rest. - Miramar | San Diego CA | 858-790-6900 |
| The Lion Share Bar | San Diego CA | 619-564-6924 |
| Holsem Coffee | San Diego CA | 619-295-3172 |
| Kitchens For Good | San Diego CA | 619-450-4040 |
| Lofty Cafe-Roasting Works | Encinitas CA | 760-230-6747 ex. 5 |
| The Miller's Table | Oceanside CA | 310-694-4091 |
| Creme de la Crepe | San Diego CA | 619-771-8261 |
| California Center for the Arts | Escondido CA | 760-839-4107 |
| Coronado Yacht Club | Coronado CA | 619-435-1848 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Arugula. One
is easiest, three is harder.Recently Shared
People have shared Arugula using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.
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Leucadia Farmer's Market
Behneman Farm
Near Encinitas, California, United StatesValley Center, CA About 61 days ago, 10/09/22 
Specialty Produce
Specialty Produce
Near San Diego, California, United States1929 Hancock St Suite 150 San Diego CA 92110 619-295-3172 https://specialtyproduce.com About 95 days ago, 9/05/22 Sharer's comments : Arugula from Her Produce 
Santa Monica Farmers Market
Her Produce
Near Santa Monica, California, United StatesAbout 100 days ago, 8/31/22 Sharer's comments : Arugula from Her Produce 
Spqr Mercato Rionale
Spqr Mercato Rionale
Near Rome, ItalyVia Cola di Rienzo, 261, 00192 Roma RM, Italy About 141 days ago, 7/21/22 
Del Mar Farmers Market
Behneman Farm
Near Del Mar, California, United StatesValley Center, CA About 167 days ago, 6/25/22 
Leucadia Farmer's Market
Maciel Family Farm
Near Encinitas, California, United StatesBonsall, CA About 222 days ago, 5/01/22 
Specialty Produce
Near San Diego, California, United StatesAbout 250 days ago, 4/03/22 Sharer's comments : Arugula from JR Organics 
Hillcrest Farmers Market
Gilbert and Lee Farms
Near San Diego, California, United StatesFallbrook, CA About 257 days ago, 3/27/22 Sharer's comments : Arugula with … flowers!! 
Specialty Produce
Near San Diego, California, United StatesAbout 334 days ago, 1/09/22 Sharer's comments : Arugula from JR Organics 
Solana Beach Farmer's Market
Rodriguez Family Farms
Near Solana Beach, California, United StatesSan Diego, CA About 355 days ago, 12/19/21 
Specialty Produce
SpecialtyProduce
Near San Diego, California, United States1929 Hancock street San Diego CA 92110 619-295-3172 About 530 days ago, 6/27/21 Sharer's comments : Arugula from jr organics 
Santa Monica Farmers Market
Schaner Family Farms
Near Santa Monica, California, United StatesAbout 583 days ago, 5/05/21 
Specialty Produce
Near San Diego, California, United StatesAbout 589 days ago, 4/29/21 Sharer's comments : Arugula from Jr Organics 
Specialty Produce
Near San Diego, California, United StatesAbout 603 days ago, 4/15/21 Sharer's comments : Arugula From Jr Organics! 
Specialty Produce
Near San Diego, California, United StatesAbout 645 days ago, 3/04/21 Sharer's comments : Arugula with roots🤓 |
