In europe it’s known as rocket, roquette, and rucola. In the Middle East, it’s called gharghir. Here in North America, this assertive leafy green is known as arugula, the little leaf with the big flavor.

Originally native to southern Europe, arugula (Eruca Sativa) is an annual or biennial branching plant that grows wild and is cultivated throughout North America. Although the peppery-tasting leaves have been loved throughout Europe for centuries, only recently has arugula been accepted by the American palate. Its pungent, almost spicy flavor starts out tasting slightly nutty, and then changes to a hot, peppery, flavor. Mustard oils in the leaves of arugula give it that zesty, piquant taste. The seeds of the arugula plant also contain a certain amount of oil that is sometimes extracted. Although the flavor of cultivated arugula can be quite pronounced, wild arugula has a stronger, more distinct taste.

Cultivated arugula, which grows from seed in early spring, adapts to all types of climate and soil, but performs best under cooler temperatures. Leaves are harvested throughout the entire growing season, but the taste—and heat levels—can vary dramatically. In climates where it grows year round, the plant tends to have a spicier taste in the summer. During the winter months, arugula’s flavor is less distinct. Mature arugula often has a much stronger taste, and tougher texture, than younger stems. Once a crop becomes overly mature (arugula is typically ready to harvest 6-7 weeks after seeding), it becomes exceedingly bitter and growers consider the plant unmarketable.

Although the stems are not typically sold with flowers, arugula does bloom. Its white, violet-streaked flowers have a similar—but milder—mustard taste and are often used for decorating plates and salads.

Italians have long admired the pungent taste of arugula and use it to add a lively flavor to pastas, soups, and other vegetables. In Liguria, pansotti ravioli is filled with a creamy mixture of ricotta, Parmesan, garlic, and a combination of herbs and arugula. The result is a wonderful contrast between fresh, sharp-tasting greens and mild, creamy ricotta.

This assertive green can be used as a main ingredient for a full-flavored salad, however, depending on its intensity, it may be too overpowering. To lessen its impact, toss arugula with milder greens like Boston lettuce and baby spinach. The tender stems don’t lend a salad much texture, so it’s often paired with crunchy lettuces like endive. Its piquancy is ideal with oily fish such as salmon; simply wilt the stems underneath or alongside the fish.

Arugula is perishable and should be tightly sealed in a plastic bag and refrigerated for no more than 2-3 days. Sold with the roots attached, arugula can get quite gritty and should be washed several times before using.

Arugula isn’t the only peppery leaf on the market. These lettuces offer a similar assertive flavor, and can be used interchangeably:

Chicory: Frilly and crisp, these bitter greens are often used in salads or cooked and used in soups, pastas, or as a side dish.

Radicchio: Italian lettuce that grows in a small, round head with  red leaves and white ribs. Radicchio adds a colorful, slightly bitter bite to salads and can also be baked, sautéed, stuffed or grilled.

Endive/Curly Endive: Cigar-shaped endive is grown in darkness to achieve perfect white leaves with light yellow tips. Curly endive grows loosely in frilly, green-rimmed outer leaves that curl up at the ends. Both have a distinct bitter taste.

Escarole: Broad, curved light green leaves with a slightly milder flavor than endive.

Watercress: Its crisp, dark leaves have a peppery snap.