Heirloom tomatoes should always be the star and simple is always better. You can just slice or quarter them, drizzle with good olive oil, sprinkle with flaky salt, fresh ground pepper, and a sprinkling of juliennéd basil. That’s the basic formula and trust me, everyone would be quite happy at just that. However, a few additions can take it to a whole new level and make a significant difference in both flavor and presentation.

Here are a few of my favorites.

So, you have a collection of gorgeous heirlooms, different colors, different sizes. First, slice and quarter them, mixing the colors and shapes. Then, add fresh mozzarella, burrata, or some crumbled gorgonzola would work well too. Just tear or slice the cheese and sprinkle it over the tomatoes. Next, if you have some pine nuts or walnuts, toast them in a dry skillet (just heat them on low until they’re fragrant) and sprinkle those on as well. Additionally, a drizzle of pesto or some basil oil would be a wonderful option.

Whatever your choices, always be sure to include fresh basil, good olive oil, fresh ground pepper, and a pinch of good flaky salt. Be careful to not overdo the additions; less is more, keep it simple, and let the tomatoes shine.

Beets are one of those vegetables that we don’t seem to have often enough, for me anyway and I’m not sure why. They are absolutely delicious, simple to cook, and good for you. Also, when you happen upon rainbow-colored beets at the farmer’s market, you should grab them and treat yourself to one of the prettiest vegetables, ever. They go perfectly with almost anything and any leftovers, you can use to make a yummy beet salad.

INGREDIENTS
yellow/orange/red beets
traditional purple beets
3-4 Tbs. olive oil
several thyme and rosemary sprigs
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400º
First, wash the beets and cut off the ends. Next, take a sheet of tin foil and place each color beet onto the foil. Then, sprinkle each with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and toss the thyme and rosemary sprigs over the beets. Wrap the packages, place them on a sheet pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

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At about the 35-minute mark, take out one package, unwrap it, and stick a knife in one of the beets, to make sure it is tender. The knife should easily pierce the beet, this is similar to checking potatoes for doneness. When tender, remove from the oven and set aside, to cool for a bit. Then, when the beets are cool enough to handle, you can peel them. You can use a pairing knife, but I find using a dry paper towel and rubbing the skin off is much more efficient and your hands don’t get as discolored. Sometimes I actually peel them before cooking, but lately, I find doing it after cooking them saves time. Either way is fine. Once you have peeled the beets, cut them into 1/4″ to 1/2″ slices. I like to put them on a bed of arugula, to show off their colors. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Alternatively, I will often add some crumbled goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and a simple vinaigrette over everything. You could also just quarter the beets and place them in a serving bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, some salt, and pepper.