Sergey, from Ukraine, is staying while on a two week language course. His English is improving in leaps and bounds. Yesterday he came down to the kitchen and offered to help prepare supper. I set him the task of making the tomato salad.

It is a simple recipe, just over three lines of text (which include the ingredients) and the result was delicious. The last of my tomatoes mixed with heritage tomatoes gave flavour, extra virgin olive oil blended everything together. It’s in the book, page 202, but here is an invitation to revisit it. I wouldn’t change a word except, perhaps, to suggest that a large pinch of sumac might give an extra dimension.

“Slice whole tomatoes finely and put in a bowl. Make a sauce with olive oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and torn basil leaves. If the tomatoes are very ripe a few drops of lemon juice could be added but no vinegar should be used.” –p202 The Allotment Kitchen

We ate it as a first course with rustic bread and small cubes of feta.