I planted arugula

[LeahBoo]

It grew really really well.

I hate it.

I figured it would taste like lettuce or spinach, but I really don't like it. What can I do with it? I like spinach better cooked than raw, can I cook the arugula like spinach? Put it in recipes? My sister liked it, but she's not gonna eat it all. There's alot. It grew REALLY well, lol. While only like three of my lettuce seeds germinated. Luckily, someone let their lettuce go to seed last year in my sister's garden (community gardens), and she's got so much she has to pull it out to plant anything.

[eirual]

I don't mind it mixed into a mixed-leaf salad, I have a vegetarian cook book that calls for it a lot (kind of like how you'd use spinach or sometimes just as a fresh herb)....I'll see if I can track down some good recipes.

It's deffinitely not something you'd want a whole bowl full of.

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

I like it in mixed salads too. It's also nice in stir fry and I've never tried it steamed like spinach but there's no reason not to try.

I have an abundance of it in my garden too. It keeps going to seed, I haven't actually planted any in years. I like to save the seeds and sprout them. Arugula sprouts are yummy!

[Literate]

Try a little on a sandwich, instead of lettuce.

[cristeen]

Yes, you can cook it. Sautee it lightly in a little garlic butter and toss with pasta. You can also use it in place of cooked spinach in some recipes (I wouldn't do it in something like creamed spinach where that's the main flavor, but in a mixed dish like lasagna it would work). I prefer it lightly wilted to cooked to death - usually tossing it with hot pasta is plenty.

Also, the older (bigger) you let it get, the more peppery it is. The younger, the more mild. So if it's the pepperiness you don't like, pick it younger.

It also matches really well with strong flavors like blue cheese and prosciutto. I make a wrapped fig appetizer with dried figs soaked in port, stuffed with blue cheese, then wrapped in prosciutto and arugula - very easy and quite impressive. The blue cheese really helps to cut the pepperiness - most dairy will also.

Also - is this wild arugula or domesticated? Wild arugula is stronger flavored than domestic. I actually grow wild because I like it better... but if it's wild you're growing, you may want to taste domestic before deciding you don't like it.

Oh, and you can also use it in recipes that call for cress - like cress soups.

[lucy_v]

Originally Posted by eirual

It's deffinitely not something you'd want a whole bowl full of.

I arugula, and I often eat a whole bowl of it! mmmm.... I love it at any size, small and mild or big and spicy... I would devote more space in the garden to it if I could!

This is a delicious sandwich if you like it in small doses (best on sprouted grain bread):

sliced avocado
arugula
shaved parmesan
pine nuts
salt & pepper

[ElliesMomma]

i had a lot of luck growing it last year and hated it too. i posted an ad on freecycle, and someone was more than happy to take a whole bagfull of it off my hands. i pulled the whole plants, and let them do the cutting up of.

[LeahBoo]

I think I'll just mix it with spinach and eat it like that (cooked). I love canned spinach, and cooked fresh, just plain, with a little salt.

Did I mention it is growing REALLY well? lol

[canadiyank]

Give it away to a friend? Compost it all and put something else there?