It’s just the right season to get some big, beautiful, colorful tomatoes. This recipe is a super-simple way to highlight the brilliant flavor of this summer fruit.

Slice your tomatoes as thin as possible! Slicing from the inside is easier.

Basil, shallots, spices and oil in the bowl!

Late Summer Tomato Salad

A refreshing side dish, or afternoon snack:

• One large beefsteak or heirloom tomato–ripe, red, juicy, fresh, sweet-smelling!
• One half of a shallot
• About a tablespoon of fresh basil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• A pinch or two of black pepper, preferably freshly ground
• 2 tbsp olive oil (Use a nice one. Treat yourself.)

The trick is to slice everything as thinly as possible. The tomatoes should be sliced into thin quarter-roundels, or at least bite-size pieces. Slicing from the inside is easier than the other way around (see photos). The shallots should also be sliced thin, and chopped small. Basil doesn’t slice easily, so just rip or chop it up small to your best ability. Place all three of those in a salad bowl–don’t forget the juice that’s run off that tomato–and add the salt, pepper, and olive oil. Toss it gently with a spoon, so you don’t pulverize the tomato. That’s it.

This serves two as a side dish, or one as a light meal (or, I guess, a substantial snack). It keeps pretty well if covered with plastic wrap in the fridge, but it’s also nice if eaten right away at room temp. The colors are as brilliant as the taste. Enjoy!