Arugula

Leafy arugula

Arugula, also known as garden rocket, rocket, rocket salad, rugola, or roquetteThe term arugula (from Italian dialect) is found chiefly in the U.S.; both words arugula and rocket ultimately come from Latin eruca., is a type of leaf vegetable, and although often mistaken for a sort of lettuce, is in fact an herb, being a member of the mustard family.

Scientifically, arugula consists of three species: Eruca sativa, Diplotaxis tenuifolia and Diplotaxis muralis. It has been grown as a vegetable in the Mediterranean area since the Roman times; it was considered to be an aphrodisiac. Still, it was not cultivated on a large scale and not scientifically researched until the 1990s. It was usually collected in the wild. Nowadays, it is cultivated in various places, especially in Veneto, and available throughout the world.

Rocket is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Garden Carpet.

Rocket is especially used in salads, but also cooked as a vegetable with pasta or dry meat. In Italy, its use for pizzas is also common; in this case it is added only after baking. It is sometimes used as an ingredient in pesto, either in addition to basil or as a (non-traditional) substitute. It is rich in vitamin C and iron.

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External links

has more about this subject:

[Rocket: a Mediterranean crop for the world] (PDF document)

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