Tomatoes: Raw

Raw tomatoes come in and go out of my life. No matter how carefully I select my tomatoes, there are times when they just aren’t knock-your-socks-off great. When that’s the case, cut the tomatoes (in half for cherries or wedges for big girls) and season with a healthy pinch of salt and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Salt is hydroscopic and will pull excess water from the cells, doing the double duty of concentrating the remaining flavor and creating a light brine on the tomatoes. The salinity of the brine will penetrate the tomato, increasing the flavor throughout. And #realtalk, I buy fresh tomatoes in the winter now and again. The salt technique works on them, too.