Bulgur Salad with Mushrooms, White Beans and Arugula

I made this salad a number of times last summer and really enjoyed it, so it was a happy coincidence when I realized recently that I had all the ingredients sitting either in my fridge or in my garden and needing to be used up.  As you might expect with beans, mushrooms and bulgur, the salad is rich and earthy tasting (in a good way), but the arugula and paprika give it an interesting kick.  This is from the cookbook veganomicon which I use frequently although I am not a vegan - the recipes are great and stand well on their own, whether you are vegan or not.

I have modified the recipe pretty heavily from the original as I found it overdressed and kind of greasy when I first made it, and a bit too heavy on the red onion - but you can of course add more of either dressing or onion if your tastes differ.

I used baby arugula sprouts because I was thinning my arugula in the garden, but full-size works fine too.

Bulgur Salad with Mushrooms, White Beans, and Arugula
Adapted from Veganomicon

Salad:

• 1 cup bulgur
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups diced cremini or white mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups white beans (canellini or navy), drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 2 cups arugula leaves, chopped

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1-2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 teaspoon paprika (I used spanish smoked paprika but regular is fine too)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• ground black pepper to taste

Put the bulgur in a small pot or heatproof container and cover with boiling water, then cover the pot/container.  Let sit for 20-30 minutes then drain most of the excess water, leaving moist.  While the bulgur is cooking, mix together all the dressing ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.  Add the mushrooms, beans and onions to the dressing and let them steep while the bulgur cooks, stirring occasionally.  Add the bulgur to the dressing mixture while still warm and stir, then add the arugula and mix well.  You can serve this warm or chill and serve cool - it improves when it has a chance to sit for an hour or two and keeps well for several days.