Charred and Grilled Vegetable Guacamole

Directions

1. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Cut the limes in half. Brush the poblanos, onions,scallions, jalapeños and lime halves with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Grill the limes, cut side down for 3 -4 minutes, just to get a good char, remove and set aside. Grill the poblanos, onions , scallions and jalapeños for 5 to 7 minutes, turning halfway through, until softened and cooked but not soggy. The scallions may need a bit less time, but everything should be grilled well beyond just a few grill marks. Remove the peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Remove the onions and scallions to a separate bowl and set aside.
2. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit, leaving the skin on. Brush the cut side of the avocados with the remaining oil, and grill for 30 to 45 seconds. Rotate ¼ turn and grill another 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.
3. Remove the peppers from the bowl and using the back of a knife or your fingers, peel as much of the skin off as you can. You will end up leaving bits of charred skin- and that is fine. Chop the peppers and set aside.
4. Chop onions and scallions finely ( they may get a bit mushy- that's just fine), making sure not to lose too much of the juices that may exude.
5. Scoop the flesh of the avocados into a large mixing bowl. Add the peppers and onions and any juices from chopping them. Zest 1 of the limes and add the zest to the mixing bowl. Add the juice of 3 of the limes, salt, and cumin, and mix to combine. Fold in the tomatoes and cilantro. Cut the remaining charred lime into wedges and sprinkle with remaining salt and cumin. Decorate the dish with the limes, or serve in a separate plate as a garnish for a drink, a beer, a Malta or a cold Mexican Cola. Serve immediately.
6. Kitchen Tips: Use avocados that are ripe but not overly ripe, mushy, or brown. They will not grill well. Poblanos can vary in heat and intensity, so taste a piece to check for heat before adding all of it. The ones for the final test were unusually spunky so we used just one, but I often use 2. If you have any extra they are great with some olive oil and salt on a sandwich - especially rather bland cold cuts like turkey or add it to a grilled swiss on rye. Wear gloves if possible, while removing the jalapeno's veins or seeds. It's true for any hot peppers.Be very carefully to avoid touching your eyes and nose as well. Trust me , you will be very unhappy. Gloves or not, use a small very sharp knife to remove the seeds and white ribs.