Is arugula really an elitist food?

The whole blow-up over President Obama's professed taste for arugula has left me scratching my head. Why a lettuce that is native to the Mediterranean region and has been cultivated since Roman times is considered elitist is ridiculous and entirely unfair. It's used in salads and pasta dishes and on pizza, none of which I would ever consider elitist dishes. The fact that it often grows wild in fields and alongside roads in Italy turns it into a rather humble vegetable. Just because something is unfamiliar does not make it exclusive or elitist.

When I think of elitist foods, truffles, caviar, and foie gras immediately spring to mind. But, for sake of argument, let's turn our attention to lobster, which is considered by many to be a luxury food item. For the folks in Maine, it's a local product that can be easily had for a reasonable price. However, when you transport it to a white tablecloth restaurant in Denver, Colorado, the price tag immediately skyrockets. Needless to say, transporting a live lobster halfway across the country does not a cheap dinner make.

So, back to arugula. It's a lettuce I love, though my husband doesn't particularly care for it raw. He does like this gorgeous winter pasta dish, even though the arugula is just barely wilted. The combination of peppery arugula with the garlic, salty anchovies, sweet roasted red peppers, and briny olives is just delicious.

Winter Greens Puttanesca
Yields 6 servings

2 roasted red peppers from a jar
1 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
6 cups baby arugula, which is about the amount in a bag from the salad section of the grocery store
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 2-oz tin anchovies, drained and finely chopped
2-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 oz rigatoni or penne
Freshly ground black pepper
Coarsely grated parmesan cheese, as a garnish (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta while prepping the other ingredients. Cook pasta til al dente; drain.

Drain the peppers, rinse under cold water, pat dry, and cut lengthwise into 1/4" thick strips.

Toss the peppers, olives, arugula, garlic, anchovies, and olive oil together in a large, heat-proof bowl. Add the warm pasta and stir together. Plate and garnish with parmesan cheese.