For the month of March, the illustration on my 2016 "Twelve Months of Fresh Food" calendar is a scattering of arugula
leaves.
And while there is no arugula growing
in my part of the world (at least not in the garden) right now, it is in March
that I really begin to be hungry for salad.
And arugula is almost always the green I reach for first when I want to
make a salad. From earliest spring...to
late in the fall...arugula is a constant presence in my pantry.
Arugula has a friendly nuttiness and
peppery bite. The bite can be mild or
quite strong...depending on the maturity of the plant and the weather (more
mature plants and hotter weather produce hot, peppery arugula). In early spring, arugula is delicious with
asparagus, artichokes, peas, radishes and young root vegetables. During the summer,
it is marvelous with broccoli, tomatoes, corn, summer squash, cucumbers and melons,
peaches and berries as well as green and shelling beans. Its flavorful presence is just the thing for fall
fruits...especially figs, grapes and apples. No matter the season, it is perfect with nuts
of all kinds, salty and tangy cheeses, olives, cured meats, grains, lemon (and
orange), avocadoes, potatoes and mushrooms.
It is a most versatile food.
And it needn't be limited to being
just a salad green. It can be used like
an herb...folded into pastas...or vegetable ragouts... It makes the best pesto imaginable (I happen
to prefer it to basil pesto) and is delicious stirred into soup...tossed with
pasta...or spread on a crostini, pizza, sandwich, or quesadilla. No wonder I love it so.
Today, I am posting a new recipe for a delicious and simple
salad...featuring (in addition to the arugula) blanched green beans, toasted hazelnuts
and a fantastic orange vinaigrette. The vinaigrette
is particularly good with the arugula. I
posted a similar vinaigrette—with a reduced orange juice base—last spring. If you have never reduced a liquid to a syrup
before, you should check out that post. I
am posting the salad today accompanied by pan-seared salmon...but it was the hit of a recent wine-pairing class
when served with sea scallops. I also
think it would be wonderful topped with a round of baked goat cheese.
Since today's post is intended to be a
celebration of arugula, I thought I would end with a picture montage of some of
the recipes I have posted featuring arugula over the last six years (there have
been dozens... And yes, I have been
keeping For Love of the Table for almost six years. It is hard to believe....). Enjoy!
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| Pasta with Arugula and Walnut Pesto and Summer Squash |
 |
| Gemelli with Sugar Snap Peas, Mushrooms & Goat Cheese |
 |
| Fettuccine with Corn Pesto, Arugula & Prosciutto |
 |
| Pizza with Potatoes, Mushrooms & Arugula |
 |
| Minestra Verdissima |
 |
| Wild Rice Salad with Apples & Roast Chicken |
 |
| Farro Salad with Broccoli and Green Olives |
 |
| Quinoa with Golden Beets, Avocado & Arugula |
 |
| Chicken Salad with Cantaloupe, Feta & Arugula |
 |
 |
| Asparagus & White Bean Salad with Arugula |
 |
| Broccoli, Chickpeas & Arugula |
 |
| Autumn Salad of Fresh Figs, Grapes, Arugula, Escarole & Mint |
 |
| Spring Salad with Arugula, Mint, Beets & Asparagus |
 |
| Citrus & Avocado Salad |
 |
| Watermelon, Blueberries & Arugula |
 |
 |
| Corn Cakes with Roasted Corn, Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula & Bacon |
Salad
of Haricot Verts, Arugula, Hazelnuts & Orange
with
Pan-Seared Salmon
1 orange, scrubbed
1 lb. trimmed haricot verts, cut on a slight diagonal into
2-inch lengths
1/2 c. (60 g) Hazelnuts,
toasted, husked & very coarsely chopped
Four 4- to
6-ounce portions skinless salmon filet
Salt &
Pepper
Vegetable or
olive oil
1 recipe Orange Vinaigrette (below)
2 handfuls arugula (2 to 2 1/2 oz.)
Using a vegetable peeler, remove 5 or 6 strips of zest
from the orange, being careful to avoid the bitter white pith...you will need
about half of the orange. Cut the strips
lengthwise into a very fine julienne. Set
aside.
Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Add the haricots verts and cook until just
tender. While the haricots cook, place
the zest in a bowl sieve and dip the sieve into the pot with the haricots (just
far enough to submerge the zest) for 10 to 15 seconds. Lift the sieve out and spread the zest on a
paper towel. When the beans are tender,
drain and spread on kitchen towels. Set
aside to cool.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high to high
heat. While the pan heats, pat the
salmon dry and season with salt and pepper.
Add enough oil to the pan to lightly coat the pan (the pan should be hot
enough that the oil shimmers and disperses across the surface of the pan
immediately). Add the salmon to the pan,
service-side down, and let cook undisturbed golden brown and crisp on the first
side (about 2 minutes)—regulating the heat as necessary to maintain an active
sizzle. Carefully turn the filets over
and continue to cook on the second side.
Cook the salmon a total of 7 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness. I like mine to still be slightly translucent
in the center, so I cook it for the lesser amount of time. If you like, you may place the pan in a hot
oven to finish the cooking after the salmon has been flipped to the second side. Transfer the salmon to a plate and keep warm
while you finish the salad.
While the fish cooks, place the room temperature
beans, the zest and the hazelnuts in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with
enough vinaigrette to coat. Toss to
combine.
When the salmon is ready, add the arugula and toss
with the haricots. Taste and correct the seasoning. Drizzle in more vinaigrette if the salad
seems dry.
Divide the salad among serving plates and top with the
salmon. Drizzle the salmon with some
olive oil...or a bit of vinaigrette...if you like.
Serves 4 as an entrée.
(Salad adapted from Ottolenghi the Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi)
Note: This salad is also delicious with seared Sea
scallops or Halibut.
Orange
Vinaigrette:
2 T. Sherry vinegar
1 small shallot, finely diced (about 1 1/2 T.)
1/4 t. kosher salt
Juice of 1 Valencia Oranges (1/3 to 1/2 c.), reduced until syrupy
1/2 t. fennel seed, toasted and crushed
1/2 T. minced fresh tarragon
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and shallot. Let macerate for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the salt, reduced orange juice, fennel
seed and tarragon. Gradually whisk in
the oil, adding it in a thin stream.
Taste and correct the seasoning and balance.
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