Forget the flowers! Learn to cook these dishes

Preheat the oven to 250°F. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise, then squeeze them, cut sides down, over a sink to get rid of the seeds. Place them cut sides up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the salt and herbs and drizzle with the olive oil. Put the tomatoes in the oven and let them dry out very slowly until the flavor has concentrated and they’re wrinkly but still plump, 3-1/2 to 4 hours. Let them cool, then use immediately, or pack them in a jar with olive oil to cover; they will keep for up to 2 weeks.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, stir together the shallot, vinegar, capers, tomatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let that stand while you cook the salmon, then stir in the 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup canola oil, parsley, basil, cumin, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large, oven-safe frying pan over a medium-high flame. Sprinkle the salmon with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. When the oil is hot, add the fillets, skin side up, and cook, without messing with them at all, until they move easily when you shake the pan, about 3 minutes. If you pull them off before they’re ready, the browned layer will stick to the pan and you’ll lose the beautiful crust. Now turn the salmon and stick the pan in the oven. Roast until just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.

When the salmon is cooked, remove it to serving plates with a spatula. Add the vinaigrette to the pan, put it over medium heat, and bring just to a simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon to pick up the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook until the tomatoes soften, about 2 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the salmon and serve.