Serves 4

Salads in winter need strong flavors to snap the taste buds to attention, and these thinly sliced Brussels sprouts dressed with plenty of lemon and mustard do the trick. You will need a mandoline-type slicer, a food processor with a slicing blade, or a thin, sharp knife and plenty of patience to shave them. Toasted walnuts on top add richness and crunch.

½ cup walnuts

3 tablespoons lemon juice

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons walnut oil or olive oil

1 pound large Brussels sprouts, discolored and loose outer leaves removed

1 Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apple, cored and coarsely grated

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. On a baking sheet, spread the walnuts. Toast for 8 minutes, or until aromatic.

2. In a bowl large enough to hold the salad, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil.

3. Using a mandoline or other slicer, thinly slice the Brussels sprouts by gripping the stem ends with your fingers and cutting them until the sprouts are too short to safely slice. (To use the slicing blade of a food processor, trim and discard the stems first.) Transfer to the bowl of dressing.

4. Add the apples to the bowl. Toss to coat the salad with the dressing. Taste, and add more salt and pepper, if you like.

5. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts. Sally Pasley Vargas

Sally Pasley Vargas can be reached at sally.p.vargas@gmail.com.