A favourite salad ingredient, arugula has a nice, concentrated buttery flavour that goes with any dressing. But it?s not crisp, and a bit too tart. Thus, its pungent flavour is best when mixed with other greens.

Also known as rocket, rucola, rocket-salad, or roquette, arugula is a dark-green leafy vegetable that is rich in supplies folate or folic acid and some calcium. It belongs to the same family as cabbage and broccoli and contains cancer-fighting phytochemicals called indoles. Arugula also contains beta carotene and Vitamin C.

When buying arugula, look for bright-green leaves that are delicately crisp, and stems that are neither withered nor slimy. Place the unwashed arugula in a plastic bag, closing it loosely to allow some air, and refrigerate. When preparing it, cut off the tough parts of the stems. Separate the leaves, drop them into a basin of water at room temperature and swish them around to remove any dirt. Shake and dry them. Arugula is often quite sandy and may require several washings.

You can add arugula to mixed green salads, or in a salad containing fruits like pears or oranges: the peppery, pungent flavour of arugula complements the sweetness of the fruits. You can even add arugula leaves to sandwiches, saut? the greens in olive oil with some chopped garlic and serve as a side dish or toss with hot pasta.

mushroom rocket salad

Ingredients: 225gms chicken sausages; 1 medium lettuce; 50gms rocket; 110gms button mushrooms; 2 ripe avocados, sliced; 6 spring onions, finely sliced For the dressing: 150ml sour cream; 4 garlic cloves; 2 tbs mayonnaise; 1 tbs mustard powder; 2 tbs olive oil; 1 tbs vinegar; 1 tbs lemon juice; salt and pepper

Method: Combine the sour cream with garlic, mayonnaise and mustard powder. Mix the oil, vinegar and lemon juice and add these to the sour cream mixture, tasting and seasoning with some salt and pepper.

Now slice the sausage diagonally into 1cm slices. Break up the lettuce leaves and arrange in a salad bowl and add thinly-sliced mushrooms. Finally, prepare the avocados by removing the stones and peeling and slicing them. Add these to the lettuce and mushrooms with the sliced sausages.

Mix it together, then add the dressing and toss again gently. Sprinkle chopped spring onions and serve.