Early Season Tomato recipes

A thick, golden Italian egg frittata loaded with early season tomatoes, fresh herbs, and good cheese. Halfway between an omelette and a quiche but easier than either, it's cooked on the stovetop and finished briefly under the broiler. Excellent hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Juicy chicken thighs braised in a quick sauce built from fresh early season tomatoes, garlic, white wine, and herbs. The tomatoes' bright acidity keeps the sauce light and vibrant rather than heavy and sweet. A weeknight dinner that tastes like a real Italian Sunday meal.

A purist caprese salad that celebrates the first tomatoes of the season without interference. Thick slices of early tomato, fresh mozzarella, and generous leaves of basil, finished with really good olive oil and flaky salt. Nothing should be complicated about this — quality is everything.

The best thing you can do with the first tomatoes of summer is the simplest: dice them, season well, and pile onto toasted bread with good olive oil and basil. Early season tomatoes have a fresh, bright acidity that's perfect for this treatment. Let them sit for 10 minutes to draw out their juices.