L. loves arugula so I serve it in salad form fairly often.
I also like to quickly wilt it in the residual heat from cooking meat and serve it as a side dish, keeping in mind that it takes the same vanishing route as spinach and you will need far more than you think you will.
Its slight bitterness is the perfect foil for the fattiness of a chop. It can also stand up to vinegar, as it does when I serve it with veal chops Beau Séjour, where its emerald green color is a welcome addition on the plate next to the very pale (but delicious) veal chop. It also works well with pork and lamb.
2 1 lb containers of baby arugula leaves, washed and roughly dried
1/4 cup pan juices, or pan juices augmented with white wine or vinegar to make up 1/4 cup of hot liquid
The recipe is really very simple. As soon as you remove your chops from the cooking pan to let them rest, tip in the arugula leaves.
Wait a minute or so and then, kitchen tongs being your best bet, start folding the leaves up from the bottom. The residual heat from the pan and the hot pan juices will wilt the leaves just enough to soften them and enhance their vibrant color.
That's pretty much it but this is curiously delicious. You don't need salt as the pan juices are usually salty enough, and you can make a vegetarian version by heating 1/4 cup of your favorite vinaigrette in a skillet and following the steps above. The vegetarian version is quite delicious with roasted sweet potatoes.