2005: Maybe it was the picked-yesterday tomatoes? Or the moist and nutty brown rice leftover from the other night? Either way, this tomato-rice combination really works.

But you needn't wait for leftover rice -- unless there's a cardboard Chinese take-out box in the frig -- or are watching carbs because it's also really good without the rice, just tomatoes.

And it makes up in 10 minutes flat. This is great!

2007 photo update: Just as good as remembered, this year with a mix of cooked brown and wild rice, an heirloom tomato, no olive oil (!) and Splenda as a sugar substitute. Very good!

For other ways to use late-season tomatoes, see the tomato section in A Veggie Venture's Alphabet of Vegetables.

TOMATO & RICE SALAD

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes (though a few minutes for the rice to soak up the tomato juice doesn't hurt)
Makes 4 cups

1 pound perfectly ripe, juicy tomatoes (for example, meaty Romas wouldn't work)
2 cups cooked rice (2005: brown rice but a fat white like Arborio would work too, 2007: a mix of brown and wild rice)
2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar (2005: or another sweet-ish vinegar like tonight's fig vinegar and 2007: champagne vinegar is perfect!)
1 tablespoon olive oil (reduced from 2 tablespoons and in 2007, it worked fine with no oil at all)
2 teaspoons sugar (2005: important, don't skip and 2007: agreed but Splenda was fine)
Fresh basil, cut in ribbons (the recipe calls for a whole cup, I think that's overkill; cilantro or dill would be good, too)
Salt & pepper to taste

Mix and serve. That's it!

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
1/2 cup Per Serving (with oil): 87 Cal (23% from Fat, 7% from Protein, 70% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 2 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 16 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 19 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 6 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol, Weight Watchers 1 point

1/2 cup Per Serving (without oil): 72 Cal (7% from Fat, 9% from Protein, 84% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 1 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 0 g Mono Fat; 16 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 1 g Sugar; 19 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 6 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point


CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE
Adapted from Bon Appetit, August 2000