Arugula Pesto

Our first Arugula. Has grown quite a bit, right?

Little has been said about our arugula since October's Arugula Follow Up. Our first plant has been growing and growing. It's now at the point where it will flower. We made a delicious salad for Thanksgiving with some of its leaves mixed with some lettuce (as we have mentioned before, arugula has a peppery flavor and ours is quite spicy so we can't use it by itself). We have also managed to grow one more arugula plant. Both plants have lots of leaves.

Because its flavor is so particular, arugula is also frequently used cooked as a vegetable. In this form it is used in pastas or even in pizzas, added just before the baking period ends or immediately afterwards, so that it will not wilt in the heat. Similar to basil, it combines really well with mozzarella cheese and sun-dried tomatoes and is good for pesto. Unlike basil, it is considered an aphrodisiac.(Editor's note: It seems Jessica is throwing out a hint to all of our female readers. Gentlemen, if your wife starts using arugula instead of basil, "It's on!".)

The process of making arugula pesto is not too different from the one described on our Basil: Yucky, Yummy Edition. Our previous recipe yielded pesto for about 6 to 8 people but I edited today's ingredients to make a dinner for 2.

Ingredients
(Mickey is the salt and pepper)

Ingredients:
- 1 cup packed fresh arugula
- 1/4 tablespoon minced garlic
- Salt and ground pepper
- 1/4 cup pure olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:
The secret for making pesto with arugula is to blanch the leaves. Plunge the arugula into boiling water for about 15 seconds. Next, plunge the leaves into ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Shake off the excess water and drain well.

Pesto with extra pines nuts

Squeeze the water out of the arugula with your hands until very dry. The rest of the process is quite similar to basil pesto. Chop the arugula and put in a blender or food processor. Add garlic, salt and pepper to your liking, olive oil, and a tablespoon of toasted pine nuts. Blend for at least 30 seconds. Add the cheese and pulse your blender to combine. You're done.

Prepare a meal and let us know about your experience with arugula in the comments section.

Arugula Follow Up

Our lonely arugula. Soon to be joined by four more friends

We mentioned that we were raising some Arugula from seed back in mid-August (yes, it has been that long - see The more the merrier - Arugula). For comparison we posted a picture of our arugula today. Definitely not pretty but oh so tasty. A the time we promised a follow-up which hadn't happened until today (no, not because I'm lazy although that was a good guess). The reason for the delay is that I wanted to know if the arugula would bolt in Puerto Rico's hot weather. Two months later the plant hasn't bolted yet and we're harvesting leaves every week or so. We felt so encouraged by this that we planted four seeds a few days ago which have already sprouted into four tiny plants. This should give us enough arugula for a few tasty salads (nice!).

Arugula is a green leaf with a growth pattern similar to open-leaf lettuce. It has a peppery flavor which contrasts with other mild-flavored green leafs such as spinach or lettuce. Young leaves develop at the center of the plant and expand outward as they grow. Once the leaves reach full size they may harvested one leaf at a time. Remember not to take too many leaves or they plant may die. Since arugula is considered a cool season vegetable it is recommended that it be planted during the "cooler" months (September - March) to avoid bolting. Also, provide some shade during the hotter hours of the day. That being said bolting is inevitable. Once it happens you can remove the plant or allow it to go to seed. The flowers are also edible and can be added to salads to give it a spicy punch.

We definitely recommend having this plant in your container garden. Arugula is uncommon or non-existent in Puerto Rico supermarkets so your best bet is to raise it from seed which is fairly simple. Just plant, water and harvest. Have you raised arugula in Puerto Rico? Share your experiences with us in the comments section.

The more the merrier - Arugula!

Our Arugula seedling

We have a new addition to our garden! Arugula!

Arugula, also known as rocket or roquette, is a garden salad commonly used in Italian cuisine.  Although not as common in Puerto Rico as lettuce or spinach it is beginning to show up with more frequency in fine dining restaurants. It has a sharp, peppery flavor which differs dramatically from other salad greens. I would recommend planting Arugula in fall, winter, or early spring as it has a tendency to bolt (produce seeds) quickly in summer. If you want to grow it in summer find a shaded area under a large plant such as a tomato. To harvest just cut a few leaves and the plant will grow some more.

Keep tuned to follow the progress of this tiny Arugula and for more info on growing container gardens in Puerto Rico.