Charred avocados pine nut sauce and dukkah dressing.

Prep time 15 minutes
Creamy and smokey avocado gets a lift from even creamier pine nut and lemon tahini sauce finished with an aromatic dukkah dressing.

Dukkah is Egypt’s answer to Lebanese za’atar and is addictive. I grew up with it in Cairo and it has been part of my cooking for decades. I use it in salad dressings, rubs, sprinkled on cottage cheese for lunch, mixed with olive oil as a dip and my favorite is sprinkled on fried eggs for breakfast.

I mention dukkah as optional in this recipe in case you do not have some readily available. The recipe works without it but you will be missing out on its heady aroma. 

What you need (for two)

A ripe but firm avocado
2 Tbs pine nuts
1 Tbs Tahini paste
Juice of a lemon ( divided)
1 garlic glove
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tsp dukkah* (optional)
Salt 

What to do

1 – Toast the pine nuts in a small frying on a medium heat for about 5 minutes and then slighly crush them in a pestle and mortar. Take care not over do it. You want chunks of nuts not fine dust. Set aside.
2 – Mix a tablespoon of tahini paste with the juice of half a lemon (it will thicken).
3 – Mix in a teaspoon of water to the tahini paste  untill well blended.
4 – Squeeze in the garlic clove.
5 – Mix crushed nuts with tahini and add water if needed till you get a consistency of thick cream. Salt, add extra lemon to taste and set aside.
6. Make the dukkah dressing by mixing 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the juice of half a lemon and a teaspoon of dukkah. Set aside.
7 – Cut the avocado in half, keeping the peel on.
8 – Slightly oil and heat a grill pan or skillet on a medium to high heat.
9 – When the pan starts smoking, sear the avocado halves for about 2 minutes each side and plate.
10 – Fill avocado halves with pine nuts sauce, dress with dukkah, and garnish with whole nuts and cilantro.

* Note
Dukkah spice mix is available in most Middle Eastern food stores or on line. You can also make it fresh and keep it stored in an airtight container for a month. There is no set recipe and every Egyptian will tell you their’s is the best. 

Here are the ingredients and you can vary the proportions to taste. All you do is mix them, then over a medium heat toast the mixture and stir for about 2 minutes to release the flavors.

1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts finely blended
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp salt 

 

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