ASIAN-STYLE CHOPPED SALAD ON LETTUCE SPEARS

DRESSING

SALAD

4 ounces cellophane (bean thread) or thin rice noodles, soaked 10 minutes in hot water (or until softened), rinsed, and drained
20 medium inner leaves napa cabbage, washed, thoroughly dried, and sliced into thin slivers
10 ounces Asian sausage or cooked chorizo, or other spicy ready-to-eat sausage, sliced into thin ¼- to ½-inch squares
⅓ light-packed cup fresh Thai or regular basil leaves
⅓ light-packed cup fresh coriander leaves (optional)
⅔ tight-packed cup fresh spearmint leaves
2 apples (Honeycrisp, Haralson, Braeburn, Fuji, or Pink Lady), cored but not peeled, cut into ¼- to ½-inch pieces; or 1 fresh pineapple cut the same size
1 cup salted peanuts (almonds can be substituted), lightly crushed

FINISH

Cabbage never dies. It’s the last man standing in the vegetable bin—even the napa cabbage we use here.

To make the dressing, combine the garlic, red pepper flakes, fish sauce, water, vinegar, and sugar in a food processor and blend. Taste for sweet-tart-hot balance; adjust the seasonings as necessary. Switch the blade to a thin slicing blade, and slice the onion and radishes into the dressing. Let them marinate while you pull together the rest of the recipe.
In a large salad bowl, toss together the drained noodles, the cabbage, and the sausage. Coarse-chop the green herbs together and add them to the bowl. (This mixture can wait for about 30 minutes at room temperature.)
When you are ready to serve, add the apples or pineapple to the noodles and cabbage. Add the dressing, with the onion and radishes, and the nuts. Toss to blend. If necessary, season with salt and pepper. Make a ring of the romaine or separated iceberg lettuce leaves on a platter. Pile the salad in the center. Tuck in the lime wedges.
To eat the salad, pile some onto an individual lettuce leaf, moisten it with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, roll it up, and eat it out of hand.