Tomato

With store-bought cooked lobster (or shrimp if that’s more your speed) this luxe, buttery pasta comes together at lightning speed.

A super-juicy watermelon is key; it should feel heavy for its size and sound hollow when tapped.

The flesh immediately surrounding the seeds is the most succulent part of any melon; if you haven't tried eating the crunchy seeds before, hold on to your hat.

Eggplant is like a sponge. Salting it draws out moisture and firms up the flesh, and deep-frying ensures it cooks evenly until creamy throughout. Worth your time.

If you love dipping bread into tomato soup, you’ll love this rustic Italian dish, known as pappa al pomodoro.

Sugared, roasted lemons are edible from rind to flesh and give this salsa-like mix a bracing jolt of sourness.

Grilling the tomatoes concentrates their flavor slightly while still leaving them fresh enough to make a light, juicy sauce. Studded with cubes of fresh mozzarella, this dish is a summery crowd-pleaser.

Sweet bell pepper & roasted chicken ravioli is complemented nicely with a sauce made with yellow tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan cheese and basil. An upscale taste that is still quick and easy.

Eggplant and tomatoes are delicious roasted and blended into a chunky sauce with garlic, crushed red pepper and mint. The sauce complements the chicken & roasted garlic tortelloni nicely and makes for a wonderful dish for entertaining.

Purslane has long been considered a weed, but it is increasingly showing up for sale in bunches at farmers markets. Meanwhile, Mexicans have known about its healthful properties for hundreds of years and they eat it both raw and cooked. In Mexico it's called verdolagas. Cooking mellows its tang and shrinks it, which means you can eat more of it! Paired with avocado and a tomato relish, this is a super-healthy vegetarian snack or main dish.

Briefly cooking the tomatoes is key–the finished sauce should still be very fresh-tasting.

A proper tabbouleh will be mainly vegetables and herbs, with just a smattering of bulgur threaded through.

There's nothing quite like perfect summer tomatoes or steak hot off the grill. Combine the two and be sure there's plenty of bread around—the sauce at the bottom of the plate is liquid gold.

Any combination of flame-kissed veggies brushed and tossed with this easy vinaigrette makes a deliciously smoky side.

Grilling fresh tomatoes concentrates their flavor, making them super delicious in this Bloody Mary mix.