Sardines in Tomato Sauce

° Serves 4 as a first course, 2 as a lunch main dish

We often enjoy this as a first course at our house, especially for lunch. Serve some crusty French bread alongside.

• About 2 cups salad greens (such as Boston, red-leaf, or iceberg lettuce), thoroughly rinsed and dried
• One 16-ounce can sardines in tomato sauce
• 1 red onion (about 3 ounces), peeled and sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ripe tomatoes (about 10 ounces total)

Place the salad greens on a platter and arrange the sardines, with their sauce, on top. Distribute the onion slices over the sardines and sprinkle with the vinegar, olive oil, parsley, and pepper.

Cut the tomatoes lengthwise in half and then into ¼-inch-thick slices. Arrange them attractively around the edges of the platter and serve.