Couldn’t be any simpler than this. In keeping with the ease of a tomato salad, all you have to do here is to open up the can of sardines and chop some herbs. Regular red tomatoes will also work, but heirlooms have interesting and unique flavors and give you the ability to mix and match different personalities on the plate.

• 2 pounds super-ripe heirloom tomatoes
• Two 6-ounce cans smoked sardine fillets
• Salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh soft-leaved herbs such as cilantro, parsley, mint, or chervil
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

Slice the tomatoes 1/2 inch thick and distribute them among 4 plates. Flake the sardines over the tomatoes and drizzle the sardine oil over the top. Season to taste with salt and sprinkle the herbs and scallions over all. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

*Recipe reprinted with permission from For Cod & Country © 2011 by Barton Seaver, Sterling Epicure, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.