• Tomatoes are at their best during the late summer months. Perfectly ripe and sweet, I like to enjoy them just as they are, with no more than a drizzle of verdantly green extra olive oil and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt and herbs.

    Tomato salad

    Ingredients

    • 6 large, ripe tomatoes (unblemished)
    • coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • small handful of soft-leafed thyme or basil leaves
    • 100g young, light goat's cheese, such as fleur de chèvre (optional)
    • good-quality extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

    Instructions

    1

    Slice the tomatoes into wedges and pile onto a serving plate. Season with a little salt and pepper, and scatter over some fragrant thyme or torn basil leaves, ideally straight from the garden.

    2

    Crumble the goat's cheese over the salad if using. Finally, drizzle with the oil.