If a new superstar on the salad plate were chosen in Germany, Rucola would have a good chance of taking first place. The rocket, which originally comes from the Mediterranean region, is not only used in spicy salads, it also goes extremely well on pizza or pasta. Before consumption, the leaves should be washed thoroughly as pollutants and dirt can adhere.
How do you wash arugula properly?
To wash arugula properly, first pick out wilted leaves, trim the stems, wash the leaves in the sink, pat dry, spin in a salad spinner, and pick or cut large leaves into small ones Pieces.
Step 1: Sort arugula before washing
- First pick out yellow, wilted or unsightly leaves.
- Cut the stems. These may not be consumed. They contain a lot of nitrate, which is converted into harmful nitrite in the body.
Step 2: Wash the arugula
- Put water in the sink.
- Put the leaves in and move them gently with your hands.
- The rocket should be relatively dry before further processing. Shake the sieve a few times and then transfer the greens to a kitchen towel. Gently dab the leaves.
- To remove even more moisture, you can spin the rocket dry in a salad spinner.
- Pluck or cut large leaves into small pieces.
Storage and purchasing
- When purchasing, make sure that the rocket leaves look juicy green and have no wilted spots.
- Small leaves taste significantly milder than large ones. They are also more tender.
- Arugula wilts very quickly; it only lasts for one to two days in the refrigerator. Store the rocket wrapped in a damp kitchen towel in the vegetable compartment until ready to eat.
Arugula is quite bitter
The bitter taste of rocket is not for everyone. If you want to tone down the aroma, you can wash the rocket in lukewarm water or blanch it briefly.
Tip
Since rocket quickly becomes soggy and loses its flavor, you should only garnish pizza and pasta with the chopped leaves after preparation.
