In season
Let the ingredient lead
Ripe tomatoes, a little salt, good oil. Sometimes the best decision is to stop.
First, taste
Before deciding what an ingredient should become, taste what it already is. One tomato may be sweet and soft, another bright and firm. Those differences are not problems to hide. They are the beginning of the dish.
Choose a good companion
Soft cheese brings a cool richness. Basil adds fragrance. Oil carries the flavours and a little salt makes them clearer. Each addition should have a purpose. If it does not make the tomato more enjoyable, it probably does not need to be there.
Know when to stop
Simple food is not careless food. It asks for attention to temperature, seasoning and the moment a plate reaches the table. There is no elaborate arrangement to distract from those decisions. That is what we like about it: the ingredient gets the last word.
