Napa Cabbage Salad With Cilantro and Peanuts

from Local Flavors cookbook, by Deborah Madison

THE SALAD
½ cup skinned raw peanuts
1 teaspoon peanut oil
1 large carrot
4 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
2 cups slivered lettuce leaves
3 thin scallions, including some of the greens, finely sliced diagonally
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
2 tablespoons torn basil leaves

THE DRESSING
½ jalapeno chile, finely diced
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup roasted peanut oil

Heat the peanuts in the oil over medium-low heat, until lightly browned after a few minutes. Blot with paper towels and set aside.

Peel the carrot with a vegetable peeler and discard the skins. Then, with the vegetable peeler, continue removing long strips of the carrot until you’vereached the core.

Combine the cabbage, lettuce, and carrot with everything except the nuts.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together and toss with the greens. Add the peanuts just before serving.