Even using the hottest chiles and spices, Thai cooks are the masters in combining subtle flavors in their food dishes. This Thai salad of fresh lettuce and beef is an unusual entree salad that will please those who love spicy, hot Thai food. Of course, you can scale down the peppers if you do not like as much heat.

Ingredients:

1 head romaine lettuce

1 head Belgian endive

1 head red leaf lettuce

3/4 cup peanut oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 pound beef sirloin, 1-inch thick, cut in 3-inch long by 1/4-inch strips

1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar

2 large cloves garlic, minced

3 fresh jalapeno peppers, finely minced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped coarsely

3 red ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges

2 scallions, finely chopped

Tear the romaine and red leaf lettuce leaves into bite-size pieces. Carefully remove all of the Belgian endive leaves from the stalk, leaving whole. Place all of the greens into plastic bags, seal, and refrigerate for later.

In a shallow dish, combine 2 tablespoons each of oil, lime juice, and soy sauce. Add the beef strips to this marinade, stirring well. Leave at room temperature for about 1 hour.

To make the salad dressing, in a food processor or blender, combine 1/2 cup of oil and the remaining lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar, garlic, and jalapenos. Process until you have a smooth puree. Set aside.

When the oil is hot, drain the beef strips. Add the beef to a skillet or wok, and quickly stir-fry until just browned on the outside. Remove the beef strips and add the reserved marinade. Heat to just boiling, then remove from the burner. Mix in the dressing.

To serve, placed the chilled greens in a large heatproof salad bowl, then top with the hot beef strips. Pour the marinade/dressing mixture over the beef, then add the cilantro, tomatoes, and chopped scallions. Toss and serve immediately. This beef Thai salad makes 4 servings.