GRILLED PORTABELLA & BULGAR SALAD

By BobD

Ingredients

• 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
• 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 see Tips
• 2 1/2 oz baby arugula (4 cups)
• 1 firm-ripe small avocado

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from gourmet.com

Preparation

Step 1

MAKE VINAIGRETTE:

With motor running, drop garlic into food processor and finely chop.

Add tomatoes, parsley, oil, vinegar, rosemary, red-pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and pulse until tomatoes are finely chopped but not pureed.

MAKE SALAD:

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.

Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat.

Push 1 wooden pick into each onion wedge to secure for grilling.

Toss onion wedges, bell peppers, and zucchini with oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp 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).

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.

While vegetables cook, pour boiling-hot water over bulgur with 1/2 tsp 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.

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

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.