Grilled California Avocado with Peanut Salsa Macha

Salsa Macha:

1. Heat the sunflower oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chopped ginger and cook, stirring often, for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove ginger with a slotted spoon; set aside.
2. Fry the garlic, pasilla chiles, and guajillo chiles in the same way, and set aside with the ginger.
3. Lastly, fry the peanuts, then remove and place them in a separate bowl from the other ingredients. Set the oil aside to cool.
4. In another small pot, warm the fish sauce over medium-low heat, maintaining a heavy simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes or until reduced by half. Add the reduced fish sauce to the sesame oil.
5. In a food processor, combine the ginger, garlic, chiles, and the fish sauce/sesame oil mixture. Process until you have a smooth texture. If needed, add some of the remaining sunflower oil from the first step. Add the peanuts and pulse 3-4 times so that the peanuts are small chunks. Pour the mixture into a container. Stir in the cider vinegar, lime juice, and green onion.

Assemble:

1. Heat a charcoal or gas grill on high heat. Slice the avocados in half and remove the pits but leave the skins on.
2. Mix the za’atar with the sunflower oil. Season the avocado halves with salt and pepper, then brush them with the za’atar oil mixture.
3. For each serving, to order: Place two avocado halves skin-side up on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes, or until they are lightly charred. Flip the avocado halves and grill for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from the grill.
4. Grill a piece of naan for 1 minute on each side; remove from the grill.
5. In a large mixing bowl, toss together ½ cup kale, ½ cup mache, 1 tsp. olive oil, and 1 tsp. lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Place the grilled avocado halves on a plate with the dressed greens. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the Salsa Macha on each avocado half. Serve with the grilled naan.

Serving Suggestion: This dish works well as an appetizer or as a light lunch or brunch entrée.