Thai Style Antelope Lettuce Cup Tacos

Recipe courtesy Lara Ritchie

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sweetened shredded dry coconut
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped shallots
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 1 pound ground lean antelope/venison
  • 1/3 cup lime juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons minced fresh hot chilies
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
  • 1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
  • 1 cup grated carrot
  • 1 cup julienned cucumber
  • 2 small heads (about 1-1/2 pounds each) butter lettuce, rinsed

Instructions

  • In a 10" or 12" frying pan, stir coconut over medium-low heat until golden and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • Add oil to pan and place over medium heat. Add shallots, ginger, and garlic; stir often until shallots are soft, about 5 minutes.
  • Add ground meat; stir until meat is crumbly and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Spoon off and discard any fat.
  • Add lime juice, chilies, and fish sauce to taste; mix to blend.
  • Turn off heat, stir in mint.
  • Fill a leaf of the butterleaf lettuce with some red cabbage, carrot and cucumber.
  • Top with meat, coconut, and peanuts.
  • As an optional final touch, run a "strip" of mayonnaise on the top, "Stone Cold" style.
  • Sit back, relax and chow down while you watch more Stone Cold Takes on America.