This soup often starts with whatever cherry tomatoes I have left at the end of the week. When they go into the oven, they soften and keep their juices instead of drying out, which is why I like using them for soup. They come out sweet, concentrated, and full of flavor, without needing much else. I usually make this on an ordinary evening, when dinner needs to be simple and comforting. A tray in the oven, a pot on the stove, and something warm on the table not long after. It f

If you can’t decide whether to serve a meze, a starter, or a simple salad, this roasted bell pepper and tomato salad fits right in. Made with oven-roasted peppers, soft tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil, it works equally well on a Mediterranean meze table, as a light appetizer, or as an easy side dish to place in the middle of the table with bread. Ingredients 2–3 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), halved and seeds removed 4–5 medium tomatoes, halved Extra virgin olive oil