Lime-Chile-Coconut Grilled Beef Skewers

Lime-Chile-Coconut Grilled Beef Skewers
Copyright 2008 Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Serves 4 to 6
Serve these skewers on their own with a salad, or pair them with a Southeast Asia-inspired salad of golden rice - long grain rice boiled in turmeric scented water just like pasta so it cooks in about 10 minutes. Drain the rice and rinse away the starch with cold water. Then toss it with rice vinegar, a little sugar, chopped scallion, fresh mint, and chunks of fruit, such as peach, melon, plums or whatever other fruit is local. You could set off the sweet-tart with minced chile.
Turn the skewers into a diner-participation event by serving them with bibb lettuce cups, fresh herbs (mint, coriander and/or basil), lime wedges and cucumber spears. Add a dipping sauce of lime, fish sauce, sugar and garlic. Everyone slips the meat off the skewers into the lettuce cups, squeezes on the lime juice, garnishes their rolls to taste, dips and feasts.
Cook's Note: Readily available sweetened shredded coconut (in the baking aisle of the market) is called for here because unsweetened is difficult to find. The pre-sweetened coconut eliminates the need for the traditional palm sugar that would be used in this sort of recipe.

• 1-1/2 pounds well-marbled beef (well-marbled chuck is my usual pick, but the more expensive short loin, or sirloin works, too), boneless chicken thigh, or tempeh
• 6 large cloves garlic
• Shredded zest of 1 large lime
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 to 3 whole serrano chiles (seed them to tone down heat if desired), stems removed
• 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/3 cup coconut milk (can be canned)
• 1/3 cup expeller pressed peanut or canola oil
• Juice of 2 large limes
• About 25 thin bamboo or wood skewers (find in Asian section of markets or Asian stores), soaked 30 minutes in water.

For Serving:

• 2 limes, cut into 6 wedges each

1. A day ahead, slice the beef into pieces about 2 inches wide and 1 to 1-1/2 inches thick. Then slice them into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick pieces. Do the same with the tempeh, and, if using boneless chicken thighs, cut them into 1 to 1-1/2 inch squares. Place in a medium bowl (glass or stainless steel only).
2. Combine the rest of the ingredients except the skewers and lime wedges in a blender or food processor and puree. Pour over the meat and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.
3. About 30 minutes before cooking, put the skewers to soak in water and heat grill to high, or set up a charcoal grill with a single pile of wood charcoal to one side so there is a space for lower heat. Or set a griddle or grill on the stove top.
4. Thread pieces of meat or tempeh onto the skewers, piercing it several times so there's a ripple effect with each piece (this help keep it from rotating on the skewer). Grill beef over high heat until crisped on the outside and still pink in the center (2 to 3 minutes or so per side depending on the fire or stovetop grill). Chicken thigh should be cooked over medium high about 4 minutes per side so it's thoroughly cooked (thigh is forgiving, better to overdo it than undercook). Tempeh will need medium to medium high heat and about 4 minutes to side.
5. Serve the skewers hot or warm with whatever accompaniments you like.
LYNNE'S TIPS

• When buying canned coconut milk check the label closely. You want unsweetened coconut milk, not coconut cream, which is very sweet.

We've cautioned before, but it's worth repeating: when working with hot chiles wear rubber glove, and never, ever, touch your face, especially your eyes or nose, until you've washed your hands well. The oils in the seeds can give a nasty burn