After spending years as outcasts in the vegetable world, Brussels sprouts have made a remarkable comeback. In the fall and winter, recipes for the miniature cabbages are ubiquitous on food blogs, in cooking magazines, and in newspaper food columns.

I welcome the resurgence of Brussels sprouts — both my husband and I count them among our favorite vegetables. But when it comes to preparation, I typically take a low-maintenance, no-recipe approach: toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, possibly a few other seasonings depending on my mood, and roast. Until recently, I hadn’t found a reason to deviate from that method.

A recent Cooks’ Illustrated article about Brussels sprouts as a salad green intrigued me, however. And when I saw that one of the variations used a combination of Brussels sprouts and arugula—the two veggies still alive in my garden—I had to try it.

I had come across Brussels sprout salad recipes before, but I was always hesitant because, for me, the browning and slight caramelization of roasted Brussels sprouts is what makes them so delicious. In a salad, they’d just be another green. But the Cooks’ Illustrated version used a warm vinaigrette made from browned butter, lemon juice, and toasted hazelnuts—ingredients that just might give raw sprouts the depth of flavor I associate with roasted ones.

The original recipe called for dried cranberries, which I omitted. If you’d like to include them, the recipe calls for 1/4 cup stirred into the lemon juice mixture along with the shallots. Alternatively, you could try swapping them out for dried tart cherries, chopped dried apricots, or another dried fruit of your choosing.

For the cheese, Cooks’ Illustrated called for Manchego, which I’m sure would be delicious, but I happened to have smoked Gouda on hand, so I used that instead and found it complemented the flavors well. Parmesan or Pecorino Romano would likely work also.

Though the preparation is a bit fussy for a salad (slicing the sprouts takes awhile), the result was worth it. I served it alongside pan-seared rainbow trout for a tasty light dinner that I plan to add to my regular rotation.

Brussels Sprout, Arugula, and Toasted Hazelnut Salad

Slightly adapted from “Cooks’ Illustrated”

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1 shallot, thinly sliced

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts

1 1/2 cups arugula leaves

2 ounces Gouda, Parmesan, Manchego, or other cheese, shaved

Salt and pepper

Trim Brussels sprouts, cut them in half lengthwise, and slice thin to produce a slaw-like texture. Alternatively, you can use a food processor to chop the trimmed, halved sprouts.

Whisk together lemon juice, mustard, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a microwave-safe dish or bowl. (I used a glass measuring cup.) Stir in shallots. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 60 seconds. Stir, and set aside to cool.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add hazelnuts and cook, stirring often, until butter is golden brown and nuts are toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in shallot mixture.

Add Brussels sprouts to skillet and toss to coat evenly with dressing. Transfer to a serving bowl and toss with arugula. Garnish with cheese, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve immediately.

Emily Scace, an editor, enjoys discovering new recipes and perfecting old ones in her East Lyme kitchen. She cooks with local ingredients, including whatever is growing in her garden. Contact her at savoringseasons@gmail.com.