Recipe: Pastures of Plenty Arugula Salad

Most arugula tastes of slight citrus and rarely has that authentic black pepper and lemon taste of field-grown.  Additionally, I find a lot of arugula salad treatments in restaurants these days too fussy.  This spicy leaf is plain spoken in the queendom of salad greens.  No frills. Strong and distinct.  Let arugula shine on its own stage by keeping your other amendments simple.  I’m not giving quantities on purpose.  Make a peppery arugula salad just for you for lunch, or scale up to your whole family.  This only what you need, and would stand up to scrutiny by most Italian home cooks.

INGREDIENTS 

  • Arugula, rinsed  and spun or patted dry with a towel
  • Reggiano Parmigiana, big chunk from which you can slice peels of cheese about 2” to 3” long
  • Extra virgin olive oil, the best quality you can splurge on
  • Fresh lemon juice, not Meyer’s Lemon but regular; Meyer’s are too sweet
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a salad bowl add Arugula and cheese pieces; drizzle EVOO as liberally as you prefer or until just coated; Squeeze the juice of a lemon over the greens to your liking.  Salt and pepper to taste. Toss all ingredients and serve immediately or soon thereafter to avoid wilting.  Add a few more curls of that yummy Reggiano cheese atop.  So easy.  The best things in life really can be.