Juice Worth the Squeeze: Spotlight on Tomatoes
February 2024
You expect them on your pizza and sandwiches and in your Bloody Mary. But you may start to see tomatoes incorporated on menus in unexpected ways, especially since Technomic claims that 2024 is the Year of the Tomato. Vitamin-rich tomatoes are a vibrant and versatile ingredient in various dishes and drinks. Here are a few ways to rethink your uses of this common yet delicious fruit.
Global Applications
Whether hot or cold, sliced, diced, juiced or made into paste, tomatoes are enjoyed worldwide in many dishes and condiments. Since diners are still looking for global flavors, now is a great time to incorporate tomato-based dishes, dips or sauces inspired by international cuisines. Try this Mexican cuisine-influenced Open-Faced Turkey Chorizo Burger, featuring a spicy tomato pepper jam. Or create a refreshing combination of Middle Eastern flavors using diced tomatoes to make a cucumber-tomato salad for this Turkey Kofta.
Cocktails
Beyond the famous brunch cocktail, you may also spot tomatoes in caprese-inspired vodka drinks and Chavela beer cocktails. Mixologists are getting creative, especially in the New York bar The Front Room at Double Chicken Please, with its Cold Pizza cocktail. The concoction features cheese-and-burnt-toast-flavored tequila, a lime-basil cordial, oolong tea honey, tomato water and egg white to recreate that leftovers-from-the-fridge flavor.
Pairing with Turkey
The bright acidity of tomatoes is the perfect complement to savory turkey, adding a nutritious boost that pairs well with turkey’s healthy profile. Here are some ideas for combining this duo in dishes across all dayparts:
- Starting with breakfast, this Turkey and Savory French Toast Hot Brown is a fun twist on diner food, with tomatoes joining parsley in a salad that brightens the combination of sliced turkey breast, melted cheese and crispy bacon.
- Build a beautiful lunch dish with this Ugly Tomato BLTT, featuring juicy heirloom tomatoes over turkey breast with sweet potatoes, turkey bacon and avocado mayo on rosemary focaccia.
- Serve your K-12 students a delicious Tuscan Turkey Pasta with diced tomatoes and rich tomato sauce over whole-grain penne pasta and vegetables.
- For dinner, try a unique pasta dish pairing tomatoes and oranges in Turkey Medallions with Tomato-Orange Gnocchi and Basil.
Stay ahead of the curve with more Butterball recipes featuring tomatoes for inspiration. How would you incorporate the delicious ingredient into your dishes? Share your ideas on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages and visit our Resource Center for more tips and trends.
Sources:
- Technomic Industry Insights (week of December 4, 2023)–Technomic Ignite Menu
- https://www.nrn.com/beverage-trends/technomic-declares-2024-year-tomato
- https://www.superyachtcontent.com/superyacht-crew-lifestyle/the-rise-of-savoury-cocktails-is-savoury-the-new-sweet/
