OK, now I officially feel like a gardener—last night I ate the first fruits of my community garden plot. (Well, idiomatic fruit; it was actually arugula).
Truth be told, the arugula probably should have been harvested sooner. In the short weeks since it went in the ground, it has grown like crazy. The peppery flavor grew intense, bordering on a pleasant bitterness.
So, I nipped off a small bag full and brought it home, rinsed it, and then got lazy. Without even enough energy to make a proper vinaigrette—hey, it was hot yesterday; I was sweaty—I threw a few shakes of sherry vinegar* in a bowl with salt, pepper and some good olive oil. Then, in went the leaves.
The salad was served alongside a simple homemade pizza (Daisy flour dough, Jersey Fresh tomatoes—used straight out of the can—and Claudio’s Mozzarella). It was surprisingly delicious. I don’t know if my labor it what gave it that extra kick, but the leaves tasted tender and complex, and the simple dressing worked out perfectly.
*Read Mark Bittman’s argument for sherry over balsamic here.
