Sunday, July 12, 2009

Inspired Baby Arugula Salad

I love arugula. Normally, I will eat it with a little drizzle of olive oil and a squirt of lemon. It makes a wonderful side salad for white fish. It has a peppery flavor which makes it fantastic with steak or mushrooms.
It was a perfect day for cleaning. Last night we stayed up far too late after a full 8 hour day of driving, followed by a concert. I rarely go to concerts anymore, but every now and then a friend from the east coast comes through Minneapolis on tour. Being the only one of my graduating class to have moved to the twin cities (that I am aware of) I feel it is really important to go to these things.
We sat sleepily on some bar stools overlooking an eclectic crowd of college aged kids, tattooed with reflective light from a disco ball overhead. My friend Michael stood on stage looking out with his soft brown eyes and salad bowl hair cut and I was aware of how he had become an adult.
A few months ago I saw a friend from high school play a show. I was amazed by how her cheekbones had grown prominent and her posture confident, I might not have recognized her in the street. How amazing to watch live examples of energetic childhood dreams manifest themselves into fully expressed realities. I feel empowered by their commitment.
I awoke from my sleepy reflections at the sound of the mic check as a small queer person of mixed gender with a 70's mustache spoke into the mic, "Are you guys ready for a gay disco party?" the crowd cheered and then the beat exploded into the walls of the club, ricocheting back towards the group of sweaty dancers. The music was vibrant, the crowd was elated, the performance art was brilliant, I left feeling inspired.
I woke up to the mid-summer sun radiating off white walls. The sound of bartering from the farmers market carries all the way up to our 6th floor window. It was a perfect day for cleaning, and reflecting, and relaxing in the cool shade of our apartment.
The arugula I found in my refrigerator seemed a little tired and not quite as flavorful as I had hoped, so I made a full dressing in lieu of lemon and oil.

The dressing:
mix together:
4 cloves fresh garlic (the garlic I used was not quite dry, sharp yet mild. If you use dried bulbs, use 2 cloves instead of 4)
the juice of 3 juicy lemons
1 tsp white wine vinegar
4 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

For the salad, use arugula as the base green, diced yellow pepper, spicy radishes, chopped tomato, and baby cucumber. Garnish with raspberries and fresh ground pepper.

Christina's vote: "I felt like I needed to handle this salad like a newborn baby"

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