Active Time

　　1 hr

　　Total Time

　　1 1/4 hr

　　Okay, you caught us: There's no sliced bread here, and you'll need a knife and fork. But this bulgur and grilled-vegetable salad has so much gusto that it simply cries out for a daring presentation to match.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

　　

For tomato vinaigrette:

1 large garlic clove

　　1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes

　　1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

　　1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/4 cup red-wine vinegar

　　1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

　　1/4 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes

　　

For salad:

8 large portabella mushrooms, stems reserved for another use (see cooks' note, below)

　　1 small red onion, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges (keeping root end intact)

　　2 medium yellow bell peppers, quartered lengthwise

　　1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise

　　1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 1/2 cups boiling-hot water

　　1 cup medium bulgur

　　1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

　　2 1/2 ounces baby arugula (4 cups)

　　1 firm-ripe small avocado

　　

Make vinaigrette:

Step 1

With motor running, drop garlic into food processor and finely chop. Add tomatoes, parsley, oil, vinegar, rosemary, red-pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and pulse until tomatoes are finely chopped but not puréed.

　　

Make salad:

Step 2

Peel skin from portabellas using tip of a paring knife, pulling from edge of mushroom toward center. Gently scrape off gills from mushrooms with tip of a spoon. Toss portabellas with 1/2 cup vinaigrette in a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish and let stand, turning occasionally, 20 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat; see Grilling Procedure .

　　

Step 4

Push 1 wooden pick into each onion wedge to secure for grilling. Toss onion wedges, bell peppers, and zucchini with oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Oil grill rack, then grill vegetables, covered, turning occasionally, until tender (6 to 8 minutes for bell peppers, 6 to 10 minutes for zucchini, 8 to 12 minutes for onion, and 12 to 15 minutes for portabellas).

　　

Step 5

Transfer portabellas to a plate and remaining vegetables to a bowl as cooked. Cool slightly, then remove wooden picks and coarsely chop onion, bell peppers, and zucchini.

　　

Step 6

While vegetables cook, pour boiling-hot water over bulgur with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and let stand until water is absorbed and bulgur is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in a sieve if any water remains.

　　

Step 7

Add vegetables to bulgur with pine nuts and remaining vinaigrette and toss.

　　

Step 8

Put one fourth of arugula on each of 4 plates. Top with upside-down portabella. Pack bulgur mixture into a cup measure, then unmold on top of portabella. Top with another portabella, right side up. Serve with an avocado quarter.

　　Cooks’ notes:

　　Vegetables can be grilled in an oiled hot 2-burner grill pan.