Summer may be in the rearview mirror, but my thoughts sometimes drift back to those warm, sunny days. The stone fruit! The melons! The tomatoes. One morning in July, I woke up with a craving: I wanted the acidity of a tomato and the nutty warmth of toasted sesame, all in one bite.

Mission in mind, I marched into my kitchen and washed a pint of cherry tomatoes. I halved them and put those juicy little hemispheres into a bowl. I reached for a bottle of soy sauce, and, when I saw the rice vinegar next to the soy sauce, I grabbed that too. A splash of each went onto the tomatoes, and then I stirred. I nosed around in the pantry for the little bottle of toasted sesame oil I always keep there. A second later, I grabbed the bottle of toasted sesame seeds, too.

I stuck my face into the bowl and took a deep whiff. Salty and fresh, pungent and bracing - I was getting somewhere. The juices of the tomatoes were running with the vinegar and soy sauce, pooling at the bottom of the bowl. I added a tablespoon of sesame oil, stirred, and then took a bite. I added another tablespoon of sesame oil, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, and took another bite. Then ... another, and another until, moments later, I realized the bowl was empty.

On its own, those juicy tomatoes seasoned with soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil were a wonderful salad. But I realized they could become a meal, and that's how this recipe was born.

Soba, with its nutty flavor, complements the sesame notes in the saucy tomatoes. Bonus: Buckwheat noodles take minutes to cook. Add frozen, shelled edamame to the soba noodles as they cook for a hit of protein. Then, dress the noodles and beans with the tomato salad and some toasted sesame seeds, letting the liquid soak into the crevices, flavoring every bite.

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Sesame Tomato Soba

4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

In this simple bowl of noodles, cherry tomatoes make their own sauce after briefly marinating with soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Multicolor tomatoes make a pretty presentation. This dish is even better after sitting in the fridge, so feel free to make it a day ahead. Soba is sold in packages of slightly different weights; this recipe works well with anything from 8 to 10 ounces of dried soba noodles. For a gluten-free dish, use tamari instead of soy sauce and look for 100-percent buckwheat soba.

Make ahead: Can be made up to 1 day in advance and served cold.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Substitutions: You may substitute the same weight of any tomatoes, chopped, for the cherry tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS

2 pints (16 ounces) ripe cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large

1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari, plus more to taste

3 tablespoons rice vinegar, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 cup (5-1/2 ounces) shelled, frozen, edamame (no need to defrost)

9-1/2 ounces dried soba noodles (see headnote)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, soy sauce or tamari, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Stir well and let marinate while the edamame and noodles cook.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the edamame and then the soba and cook until the soba is just tender, but still has some bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain. Toss with the tomatoes until well coated.

Taste, and add more soy sauce and/or vinegar, if desired. Divide among four bowls and serve, with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Nutrition | Per serving (2 cups): 388 calories, 55g carbohydrates, 0mg cholesterol, 12g fat, 6g fiber, 17g protein, 2g saturated fat, 707mg sodium, 4g sugar

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian's or nutritionist's advice.

From staff writer G. Daniela Galarza.