Brings character to the plate: Rocket
Nutty and spicy with a bitter note: Rocket is one of a kind. The Swiss season starts in April and lasts until October.
In German-speaking countries, the plant is also known as Rauke, though its Italian name is far more popular.
There are two types of rocket, one with a peanut-like flavour and one with more pungency. Rocket is in season from April to October.
Mustard oils and bitter compounds
The feathered green leaves with their nutty, spicy, slightly pungent aroma have only recently secured a firm place in the Swiss kitchen. Rocket owes its aroma to its content of mustard oils and aromatic bitter compounds. It is also rich in potassium, calcium, zinc and beta-carotene. The mustard oil also reveals its botanical kinship: rocket belongs to the family of cruciferous plants, just like cress, radishes and all types of cabbage. It is considered invigorating and appetite-stimulating.
Brings variety to the kitchen
In recent years, the herb has experienced a real boom in local kitchens and restaurants. A pizza with rocket can be found in almost every Italian restaurant.
Rocket is served predominantly as a salad. A handful of rocket leaves adds variety to a green salad; rocket enthusiasts also eat the leaves as a salad in their own right. A few rocket leaves also make an attractive garnish on a raw vegetable platter. And anyone wishing to liven up a homemade sandwich can place a few rocket leaves on the bread. The vegetable is not only suitable for eating cold — rocket leaves can also be cooked or used to prepare a soup. Find out more about plant-based nutrition here.
Less well known is the fact that rocket seeds can also be used in the kitchen. From the seeds, a so-called mustard cabbage oil is pressed. This is used in Indian cuisine for the preparation of marinades. The pungent rocket seeds can also be used as a spice or as sprouts — they taste similar to mustard seeds.
Rocket also tastes great cooked, for example as a sauce with spaghetti. Find more exciting articles in our category Education.
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