Halve the tomatoes and toss with sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes. If you have a salad spinner, use this to separate the seeds and excess liquid from the tomatoes. If you don’t have a salad spinner, transfer the tomatoes to a large colander placed over a bowl. Use a large spoon to press the tomatoes and expel the liquid. Stir and press again several times to remove as much liquid as possible. Tomatoes are juicy!

Return tomatoes to bowl. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the tomato liquid into a measuring cup to make ⅓ to ½ cup. Discard any additional liquid and seeds.

In a small saucepan, bring the tomato liquid, balsamic vinegar and minced shallot to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 6-8 minutes to reduce the liquid. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes.

Whisking constantly, drizzle in the oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.