Arrugula (Roquette)
Scientific Binomial Name: Eruca sativa
Arrugula adds spicy accents to dishes far beyond Italian. Arrugula is used in Italian dishes and with many foods containing olives, garlic, tomatoes & peppers.
The OASIS has advice on how to select top-quality Arrugula. You'll find suggestions on how to prepare, season and cook using Arrugula, information on the best time of year to buy and ways to store what's left for your next meal.
Arrugula, sometimes spelled arugula, is also known as roquette, true rocket, rocket salad, rocket, tira, and in England as white pepper. The name "rocket" derives from the French roquette, a diminutive form of the Latin eruca, the Italian ruccetta, and medieval French Provencal roqueto. While arrugula is now the most common name for this herb, it was known as roquette for many years.
Selection Information
Usage: Use in foods with olives, garlic, tomatoes, peppers & olive oil. It's leaves are zesty and when harvested before fully mature make a great addition to salads.
Selection: It is aromatic and has a peppery, nutty taste. In general, herbs should be fresh looking, crisp and brightly-colored.
Avoid: Avoid herbs that are wilted, have dry brown areas, or are pale or yellow in color. Slimy looking dark spots with small areas of mold indicate old product or poor handling.
Seasonal Information
Available year-round.
Arrugula Tips & Trivia
- Ancient Egyptians and Romans both favored arrugula as an aphrodisiac.
- Prior to the 1990s, arrugula wasn't cultivated and was collected in the wild.
- On the island of Ischia, an alcholic beverage called Rucolino is made from Arrugula. Rucolino is usually consumed as an an after dinner drink.