Arugula grows wild in southern Europe, North Africa, India, Asia Minor and Central Asia. It also grows in Russia, in the foothills of the Caucasus, in Dagestan. Wild arugula also grows in the Far East.

Currently, arugula is grown in many countries. This leafy vegetable is especially popular in Italy, where it is used in many dishes. The plant has a height of 30-60 centimeters; the tender leaves of arugula are eaten. In the second year, the plant produces a long raceme with pale yellow small flowers.

Arugula can be grown in garden plots in central Russia; it does not require special care. The only requirement is regular watering and sufficient light.

Arugula taste

Arugula has a unique, slightly sour, slightly spicy taste. The taste and aroma are due to the presence of essential oils in it, in particular mustard oil.

Combination of arugula with other products

The taste and delicate aroma of juicy arugula leaves goes well with other leafy vegetables: spinach, lettuce.

Using arugula in cooking

Arugula leaves are used as an ingredient for salads, and they are also added to first and second courses, to pizza, in risotto, and in various sauces.

Features of preparing arugula

Arugula for salad is usually torn by hand so that the juice does not leak out. The salad is consumed immediately after preparation so that the taste and healing properties of arugula are not lost.

Arugula salads are seasoned with olive oil and sprinkled with lemon juice. You can also use balsamic vinegar.

Arugula is added to hot dishes a few minutes before the end of cooking or even to a ready-made hot dish.

Storing arugula

Store arugula in airtight containers in the refrigerator for two to three days. You can also use a vacuum container, in which case the shelf life of fresh arugula can be extended to a week. You can freeze arugula and store it in the freezer, removing it in small portions as needed.

Traditional role in dishes

• Independent dish
• Ingredient for salads, sauces, first and second courses

Acceptable Substitutions

In salads, arugula can be replaced with other leafy greens, but this will change the taste of the salad.

The history of the origin of arugula

Arugula was known back in Ancient Rome. The ancient Greeks were also familiar with arugula and used it as an aphrodisiac.

In our country, this leaf crop has also been known for a very long time. It was called overseas cabbage and was grown for livestock feed.

In Soviet times, it was impossible to buy arugula.

Effect on the human body, beneficial substances

Arugula contains carotene, a large amount of vitamin C, tannins, and microelements (potassium, calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium).

Arugula is recommended by nutritionists for anemia, as it contains iron and helps increase hemoglobin levels in the blood. Arugula helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels and remove excess cholesterol from the body.

Arugula also stabilizes the metabolism in our body. It is recommended for those who want to lose weight.

Arugula strengthens the nervous system, improves digestion, and serves as a good prevention of cancer. It is recommended to be consumed for diabetes.

The disinfectant and expectorant properties of arugula make it possible to use it for colds, to treat various ulcers, and for skin diseases.

Interesting facts about arugula

Arugula helps with ulcers

Research shows that the substances contained in arugula reduce the development of peptic ulcers.

Why are arugula seeds added to mustard?

Arugula seeds contain mustard oil; They are used in the preparation of spicy varieties of mustard.

Which is correct: “arugula” or “arugula”?

The Russian language reference office recognized both spellings as acceptable, since the word is borrowed.

What is arugula, the name of which is often found in salad recipes, and how to grow it correctly? Arugula will help diversify your menu and improve your health. This herb, which has an original nutty flavor with a slight bitterness, is popular in the cuisine of different nations. It tastes like mustard leaf, and its seeds contain mustard essential oil.

In Russia, it grows wild in the foothills of the Caucasus and Dagestan. In the rest of the territory it is grown in greenhouses, greenhouses, on window sills and in open ground as a cultivated plant. Arugula is beneficial for humans; its tender young leaves of light green color with an elongated carved shape contain vitamins, various microelements, organic acids that stimulate the functioning of the internal secretion organs.

The plant contains flavonoids that can strengthen the walls of blood vessels. For home use, it is grown in early spring and in the second half of summer in open ground. It can be grown in a greenhouse from the end of February and used for sale, delivering it to nearby restaurants and cafes.

Growing arugula is not difficult; it is an unpretentious plant that requires minimal costs and a large mass of the finished product.

Not all plant growers know how to grow arugula to get a large mass of greens.

Arugula is not afraid of cold and can withstand frosts down to -6 °C. It needs abundant watering so that a lot of bitterness does not accumulate in the leaves. When the average daily temperature exceeds 22°C, its growth stops and the flower stem begins to form. If the air temperature at sowing is too high, the leaves will grow slowly and the plant will shoot.

In order for the seeds to germinate well and the sprouts to begin active growth, they need specially prepared soil. Loosening of the soil is carried out up to 18 cm in depth. The grass grows well in rich soils containing humus in large quantities. A complex universal fertilizer is applied to the soil, which contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

The crop can be sown in closed ground every 15-20 days. This will ensure a large harvest. For personal needs, it is enough to sow the plant 2 times a year, in early spring and at the end of August. This makes it possible to extend the season of fresh greens, which should always be in the diet of a modern person.

Seeds germinate well at temperatures around 18°C. They are sown in moist soil 5 cm apart to a depth of 1.5 cm, forming rows at a distance of up to 40 cm.

Friendly shoots appear a week after sowing. Young shoots grow well with regular loosening of the soil and additional watering. The collection of greenery is carried out when the rosette is well developed and there are many tender long leaves in it.

The plant is harvested along with its roots upon the onset of stable hot weather, when single growth of flower stems begins. The grown grass does not tolerate long-term storage and quickly withers.

What are the benefits of arugula and what to cook from it (video)

What care does the plant need?

How to grow large beautiful arugula bushes so that they have a marketable appearance?

• After the seeds have begun to sprout, it is recommended to mulch the soil to prevent it from drying out. This can be done using freshly cut young grass or hay.
• The plant should be watered every other day, thoroughly saturating the soil with water. For this cultivated plant, it is important that the soil underneath is always loose and sufficiently moist.
• If the grass has stopped growing, it is recommended to fertilize the plants with a nitrophoska solution.
• Arugula, which is profitable to grow in nutritious soils, loves nitrogen fertilizers, which can be used as chicken manure or mullein.

Dense rows need to be thinned out in a timely manner, choosing the largest specimens for food, leaving small bushes more free space for active growth. This type of plant care will help you get several good harvests.

Arugula leaves help improve digestion processes. Beneficial substances found in the aboveground part of the plant have diuretic and antibacterial effects. Nursing mothers use this herb to improve lactation.

In the Caucasus, young greens are used in salads, which are added to meat and pasta dishes.

It can be mixed with other types of greens and used as a filling in kutabs, herbal-filled flatbreads that are part of the cuisine of the peoples of the Caucasus.

In Italian cuisine, herbs are added when preparing pizza. In Indian medicine, arugula seeds are used as a local irritant. The juice from the leaves of the plant has bleaching properties.

In order for the spicy taste of the plant to emerge, the leaves need to be dried after washing. When adding to salads, the grass is not cut, but torn by hand.

To improve the taste, salads with this plant are sprinkled with olive oil. When eaten with nuts and cheese, arugula enhances the flavor of these foods.

Arugula - beneficial properties (video)

Gallery: arugula (15 photos)

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Recently, the word “arugula” has begun to appear in various sources. What it was was not explained, one thing was clear - it is served in elite restaurants and is a privilege of the ruling class. Expensive restaurants were described that served “amazing arugula.” What kind of animal is this?
And the casket, as they say, simply opened!

Arugula, rocket or arugula (Eruca sativa L.) is an annual plant of the cruciferous family. It has a height of up to 60 cm. The leaves are lyre-pinnate, the flowers are yellow or white. The seeds are in oblong pods. Arugula contains substances that provide the plant with a bright taste and aroma. The older, and therefore larger, the plant, the more pronounced its aroma. There are wild and cultivated arugula. The wild one has smaller leaves and a brighter taste. Used as a salad and oilseed plant. The leaves and flowers are eaten, and oil is made from the seeds.
Arugula is a plant with a long history: back in Ancient Rome it was used as a spice. Nowadays arugula is widely used in the cuisine of Mediterranean countries. For example, in Italy, arugula leaves are added to salads, pasta dishes, pizza, and risotto. Arugula can be used instead of basil in pesto sauce.
This aromatic herb is called differently in different countries. In England and France this plant is called rocket. In Russia, this weed with palmate leaves is called “caterpillar”. And residents of the Apennine Peninsula cannot imagine a kitchen without arugula. It is the Italian name of this aromatic herb with a mustard-nut-pepper flavor, rucola, that has “taken root” among gourmets of 1/6 of the sushi better than others.
Arugula is a very unpretentious plant; it can easily be grown from seeds in a pot on a windowsill or in the country. It can be planted on a windowsill from March, and in open soil in central Russia - from mid-April. It is necessary to maintain a distance between plants in a row of 8-10 cm, and between rows - 30-40 cm.
Arugula needs to be watered every other day; no other care is required. Then you will be able to enjoy its unusual taste all summer and autumn. As arugula grows, its aroma intensifies. Please note that arugula quickly absorbs nitrates, so you should not overuse fertilizers.
Now about arugula seeds. The seeds are sold under several names: indau, salad eruka, forest eruka, rocket lettuce, arugula. In Russia, arugula seeds are produced by agricultural companies: Aelita, Russian Garden, Poisk.

Arugula and health

Arugula is a storehouse of vitamin C and iodine, increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood, removes cholesterol and has a tonic effect on the body as a whole - a real natural energy drink! Arugula helps prevent malignant tumors, has a diuretic, disinfectant, expectorant effect, improves digestion, and helps with anemia. Like many other herbs, arugula can be called a “green pharmacy”; it also promotes lactation in nursing mothers. And the ancient Roman erotomaniacs generally considered arugula an aphrodisiac.

How and with what do you eat arugula?

Arugula contains alkaloids and flavonoids, which provide the plant with a bright mustard-nutty taste and aroma. Arugula seed oil is also used in cooking. It is added when canning vegetables. Arugula salad is eaten immediately after preparation and cannot be stored. If the salad is dressed in advance, the leaves may release juice and turn into mush. It is customary to tear large arugula leaves by hand: if you cut them with a knife, a rusty mark appears at the cut site. One of the most popular dressings is a mixture of vegetable oil and an acidulant; Parmesan is often added to the salad.

Italian salad

The arugula should be washed and placed on plates. The main thing is not to cut the leaves! They should form small baskets. Place sliced ​​tomatoes on top of the arugula, pour olive oil and vinegar over it. Place thinly sliced ​​Parmesan cheese on the tomatoes - 2-3 pieces per “basket”. Sprinkle the finished dish with toasted pine nuts and finely chopped garlic. To eat “Italian salad” you need to cut it piece by piece with a knife.

According to the logic of the events described, it became clear that this term refers to cooking.

Moreover, it was not possible to understand what kind of dish this was, one thing was clear - it is served in elite restaurants and is a privilege of the ruling class.

Expensive restaurants were described that served “amazing arugula.”

The language of the descriptions was no less tasty than this very arugula.

Various thoughts came into my head about what kind of animal this was, literally all the exotic things, from frog legs and raw fish to monkey brains.

Arugula, rocket or arugula (Eruca sativa L.) is an annual plant of the cruciferous family.

It has a height of up to 60 cm. The leaves are lyre-pinnate, the flowers are yellow or white.

The seeds are in oblong pods.

Arugula contains substances that provide the plant with a bright taste and aroma. The older, and therefore larger, the plant, the more pronounced its aroma. There are wild and cultivated arugula. The wild one has smaller leaves and a brighter taste.

Used as a salad and oilseed plant. The leaves and flowers are eaten, and oil is made from the seeds.

History and distribution of arugula

Arugula is a plant with a long history: back in Ancient Rome it was used as a spice.

Nowadays arugula is widely used in the cuisine of Mediterranean countries. For example, in Italy, arugula leaves are added to salads, pasta dishes, pizza, and risotto.

Arugula can be used instead of basil in pesto sauce. They also say that rocket salad, one of the names of this plant, popular in Foggy Albion, was loved by Queen Elizabeth of England.

Residents of French Provence add roquette to their mesclin salad mixture.

In 2003, when planning to give a concert in Ufa, the Argentine singer and actress Natalia Oreiro demanded that an arugula salad with Parmesan be included in the tour menu, which greatly puzzled the Bashkir promoters. No one knew what arugula was.

Meanwhile, aragula is one of the names of the plant I am describing.

Arugula and all its names

In different countries, this aromatic herb is called differently - Eruca sativa, aka eruka, aka indau, aka caterpillar, rocket and arugula.

In England and France this plant is called rocket. He also has other names: eruka and indau.

In Russia, this weed with palmate leaves is called “caterpillar”.

And residents of the Apennine Peninsula cannot imagine a kitchen without arugula. It is the Italian name of this aromatic herb with a mustard-nut-pepper flavor, rucola, that has “taken root” among gourmets of 1/6 of the sushi better than others.

By the way, the debate about how to write correctly: arugula, rucola or arugula was recently resolved by authoritative philologists who recognized all options as acceptable.

About growing methods and arugula seeds

Arugula is a very unpretentious plant; it can easily be grown from seeds in a pot on a windowsill or in the country.

It can be planted on a windowsill from March, and in open soil in central Russia - from mid-April.

It is necessary to maintain a distance between plants in a row of 8-10 cm, and between rows - 30-40 cm.

Arugula needs to be watered every other day; no other care is required. Then you will be able to enjoy its unusual taste all summer and autumn.

As arugula grows, its aroma intensifies. Please note that arugula quickly absorbs nitrates, so you should not overuse fertilizers.

Now about arugula seeds.

The seeds are sold under several names: indau, salad eruka, forest eruka, rocket lettuce, arugula.

In Russia, arugula seeds are produced by agricultural companies: Aelita, Russian Garden, Poisk.

You can also buy seeds abroad. Names of arugula in foreign languages: Rocket (English), Rucola (Italian), Rauke (German), Roquette (French).

Arugula and health

Rucola is the main friend of a losing weight girl. No other salad has such a positive effect on metabolism.

Arugula is a storehouse of vitamin C and iodine, increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood, removes cholesterol and has a tonic effect on the body as a whole - a real natural energy drink!

Arugula helps prevent malignant tumors, has a diuretic, disinfectant, expectorant effect, improves digestion, and helps with anemia.

Like many other herbs, arugula can be called a “green pharmacy”; it also promotes lactation in nursing mothers. And the ancient Roman erotomaniacs generally considered arugula an aphrodisiac.

Arugula can be planted on the windowsill starting in March.

Place the seeds in a small box or pot to a depth of 1.5 cm, cover with soil and carefully water (in the future we water every other day).

We put it on the window. Don't forget to fluff up the soil from time to time. In a week the first shoots will appear.

This is what they will look like:

Arugula on the windowsill a week after sowing

It is sown thickly, but after literally a week it can be eaten, added to salads, and gradually thinned out. In a month we begin to harvest - the arugula leaves are ready for consumption.

Of course, it is unlikely that it will be possible to grow arugula in large quantities on the windowsill, but for sandwiches and sandwiches for work and school, as well as as additives for salads, this may well be enough.

Arugula is planted in the garden in mid-April.

There is more space in the garden bed than on the windowsill, so we plant according to the rules: 8-10 cm between plants, 30-40 cm between rows.

Keep in mind that arugula sprouts quickly, so it is a tasty morsel for garden gluttons - pests that attack it with great pleasure.

Arugula is also good because it can be planted several times: the second time in mid-May, the third in early August (in August it is the only salad plant that can be planted and then eaten all autumn).

Rucola loves sun and moisture. Do not overuse fertilizers; it tends to accumulate nitrates. It is better to plant arugula in different places in the garden every year: after tomatoes, onions, cucumbers or potatoes. In the garden, greens are removed 15-30 days after germination.

How and with what do you eat arugula?

Arugula contains alkaloids and flavonoids, which provide the plant with a bright mustard-nutty taste and aroma.

Also used in cookingarugula seed oil . It is added when canning vegetables.

Arugula salad is eaten immediately after preparation and cannot be stored. If the salad is dressed in advance, the leaves may release juice and turn into mush. It is customary to tear large arugula leaves by hand: if you cut them with a knife, a rusty mark appears at the cut site.

One of the most popular dressings is a mixture of vegetable, oil and acidulant; Parmesan is often added to the salad.

Italian salad

For the “Italian salad”, the arugula needs to be washed and placed on plates. The main thing is not to cut the leaves! They should form small baskets.

Place sliced ​​tomatoes on top of the arugula, pour olive oil and vinegar over it. Place thinly sliced ​​Parmesan cheese on the tomatoes - 2-3 pieces per “basket”.

The finished dish should be sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and finely chopped garlic.

To eat “Italian salad” you need to cut it piece by piece with a knife.

Arugula salad

Products:

arugula - 1 bunch

olive oil

2 tbsp. spoons balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. spoon raspberry syrup

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Salt to taste

chopped dill and parsley - 2 tbsp. spoons

Roasted pine nuts - 1 tbsp. spoon

For the sauce, mix olive oil, vinegar, syrup, spices and chopped herbs.

Place arugula leaves in a salad bowl, pour over the sauce and sprinkle with nuts.

The bitter taste of arugula adds piquancy and sharpness to familiar dishes, and the flavonoids contained in arugula leaves tone and energize.

Arugula improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system by strengthening the walls of blood vessels.

Normalizes blood pressure.

Increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood.

Calms the nervous system, relieving stress and depression.

Speeds up metabolism and helps get rid of excess weight.

Increases male potency.

Contraindications: urolithiasis.

Arugula can be eaten as a side dish for meat and fish dishes or added to vegetable salads.

The most useful is fresh arugula, without preliminary heat treatment.

Source: Shkolazhizni.ru

Recipes with arugula

• Pork salad with strawberries and arugula // Meat salads
• Lentils with artichokes and peppers // Lentil Recipes
• Tuna with champignons // Fish steaks
• Salad with flank steaks, goat cheese and tomatoes // Meat salads
• Risotto with sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella // Risotto
• Salad with peaches and mozzarella // Cheese salads
• Salad with char // Fish salads
• Pancake roll with cheese // Pancakes
• Pancake rolls with fish // Pancakes
• Tapas with artichokes, Caspian sprat, figs and cheese // Tapas
• Beet salad with pear and avocado // Beet salads
• Easter snack “Chicks” // Egg snacks
• Ravioli with zucchini and mascarpone // Ravioli
• Pork schnitzel with cheese and spinach // Schnitzels
• Canadian Northern Coldwater Shrimp with spinach // Shrimp, crabs
• Cucumber gazpacho with mint // Gazpacho
• Grilled vegetables with mozzarella // Grilled vegetables
• Mango and sea bass salad // Fish salads
• Veal shoulder with spicy green sauce // Beef dishes
• Orecchiette with white beans and smoked fish // Pasta with sauces
• Avocado and tuna timbal // Timbal
• Salad of fried squid and fresh herbs // Squid salads
• “Terry” salad with turkey and squid // Squid salads
• Asparagus with crab meat and pesto // Crabs

• Arugula with Parma ham, Parmesan and pecorino// Cheese salads
• Arugula and purple basil pesto// Sauces
• Arugula salad with avocado and cherry tomatoes// Vegetable salads
• Salad with shrimp and arugula// Shrimp salads
• Soba with nuts and arugula// Pasta with sauces
• Arugula salad with pine nuts// Vegetable salads
• Seafood salad with arugula// Seafood salads
• Focaccia with cheese, arugula and prosciutto// Italian Cuisine
• Arugula with Parmesan (rucola con parmigiano)// Cottage cheese and cottage cheese snacks
• Salmon with nuts and arugula salad// Baked fish
• Salmon salad with grapefruit and arugula// Fish salads
• Arugula with mussels and strawberries// Mussel salads
• Smoked Turkey and Arugula Roll// Meat rolls
• Beef carpaccio with arugula// Carpaccio
• Mango and arugula salad// Shrimp salads
• Pizza mozzarella-arugula// Pizza

Many people like to diversify their vegetable menu with such a representative as arugula. What is it and what are its health benefits? Let's take a closer look at this wonderful plant, and at the same time find out what the features of its cultivation are.

Arugula - what is it and what is it eaten with?

This herbaceous biennial is common in the Middle East. However, nowadays it is easily grown all over the world. Arugula (“herb” for weight loss) gained such popularity after its ability to positively influence metabolism was discovered. It is a natural source of vitamins, iodine. The plant tones the entire body, increases libido and hemoglobin levels, and helps remove cholesterol. Also, magic arugula (we will tell you what it is for a gardener in this article) helps prevent stomach ulcers and has antibacterial, hepatoprotective and antitussive effects. In India, the juice of this plant causes polyps, and the seeds cause skin diseases. For a foodie, arugula is also quite important - it is one of those leafy vegetables that can be combined with almost anything. Both with other vegetables (spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes and others), and with meat, cereals, cottage cheese. Rocket can be used to decorate dishes or serve with cold appetizers.

Garden arugula

We found out what it is and how it is used in nutrition.
The next good news is that this plant adapts very easily to a variety of climatic conditions. It can grow throughout almost the entire territory of Russia, with the exception of the coldest regions. Below we will look at the subtleties and features that will allow garden arugula to preserve the exquisite, nutty, pungent taste for which it is famous. This plant is cold-resistant and grows well in a variety of soils. Surprisingly, for a long time arugula (under the names arugula, eruca and rocket lettuce) was considered. Several adapted breeding varieties were bred from wild plants. The Solitaire variety is the most fragrant of them - it has a mustard flavor due to the content in the leaves. An additional bonus for the summer resident - arugula improves the condition of the soil and repels mosquitoes. It contains a high percentage of sulfur and nitrogen.

Salad and care

The Solitaire and Poker varieties are very easy to cultivate. They will grow on the windowsill all year round. In the garden - from April to August. The seedling method is very effective - thanks to it you will get an early harvest. Small arugula seeds are first sown in cups five millimeters deep. On the fifth day, seedlings appear, which need to be watered regularly and then pruned. Their survival rate is quite high. In a box they need to be planted at a distance of up to forty centimeters. Experienced vegetable growers say that this (sufficient spacing between bushes) affects the taste of arugula leaves. This plant loves light and also needs regular watering. You can cut the leaves on the twentieth day.