Tomato flights flip peak-season tomatoes into vibrant tasting boards with assorted toppings.This customizable pattern blends taste and enjoyable—assume creamy, crunchy, spicy and tangy.Tomatoes are wealthy in lycopene, and pairing them with wholesome fat could enhance absorption.
There’s a brand new form of tasting board making the rounds on social media this summer time, and it’s not cheese, hummus or butter this time. It’s tomatoes. Tomato flights, impressed by the format of a wine or beer tasting flight, are popping up in viral TikToks and food-forward Instagram movies.
The idea is straightforward: Slice a couple of peak-season tomatoes and high every one otherwise to create a vibrant, flavor-packed unfold you’ll be able to share (or preserve all to your self).
Some creators preserve it easy, including simply flaky sea salt, olive oil and contemporary herbs. Others go bolder—assume whipped ricotta, chili crisp or thinly sliced charcuterie. It’s half snack, half salad and fully a love letter to tomatoes at their ripest and most intense.
What Is a Tomato Flight?
Identical to a flight of beer presents a sampling of various brews, a tomato flight offers you an opportunity to style tomatoes dressed up in quite a lot of methods.
Begin with a couple of thick slices of ripe tomatoes—ideally heirlooms in a rainbow of colours and shapes. Many boards go for about six slices. Then layer every one with toppings that convey totally different flavors and textures, from creamy to crunchy, spicy to tangy.
Juicy, candy and acidic, in-season tomatoes want little or no to shine. However this format invitations playful experimentation whereas nonetheless letting the tomato itself be the principle occasion.
Find out how to Make a Tomato Flight at Dwelling
Making your personal tomato flight is as simple as slicing, topping and serving. Right here’s construct one:
Select your tomatoes. Search for giant, ripe slicing tomatoes—heirlooms or beefsteaks work properly. The extra selection in colour and form, the extra visually putting your board can be.
Slice thick rounds. Minimize your tomatoes into ½-inch slices and lay them out on a reducing board or platter.
Decide your toppings. Select a number of totally different toppings or combos. Goal for a steadiness of creamy, crunchy, spicy, tangy and natural components. Dairy, enjoyable condiments and extra seasonal produce are positively your folks.
Serve and snack. Serve instantly, or refrigerate for as much as half-hour earlier than consuming. Tomato flights are finest eaten contemporary, when the toppings are nonetheless vibrant and the tomato juices haven’t began pooling.
Find out how to Prime Your Tomato Flight
Now that you just’ve gotten the image, it’s time to think about the way you’ll high your tomatoes. Give the cupboard and fridge a very good search for a bit inspiration. You probably have some herbs, cheeses, peppers or dips that must get used up, your tomato flight could possibly be the proper event to shine them off.
Listed here are some tomato topping concepts to get you began:
Whipped feta and honey: Take inspiration from Whipped Feta Honey Toast, however high tomato slices as a substitute of the bread. Some crunchy toasted hazelnuts wouldn’t be misplaced.
French onion: Make this Whipped Cottage Cheese French Onion Dip, dollop it in your tomato slices and high with inexperienced onions, chives and even some potato chip crumbs.
BLT: Use our BLT Breakfast Sandwich as a template, and layer the sandwich fillings on tomato as a substitute of toast.
Smoked tuna: Tuna and tomatoes are a basic combo (we’re you, tonnato), so topping your slices with this Smoked Tuna Unfold would solely be pure.
Egg salad: You’ll be able to’t go fallacious spooning The Greatest Egg Salad over your tomatoes as a part of a flight. Prime with pickles or contemporary dill.
Caprese: Hold it basic with this irresistible Italian combo. Use the principle substances on this Caprese Salad recipe—burrata, basil, arugula, olive oil—stacked in your tomato slice.
Hummus: This wealthy, creamy Double-Tahini Hummus pairs completely with tomato’s tangy chunk. Add a couple of black olive slices and a bit crumbled feta to take it excessive.
The Backside Line
Moreover being a visually beautiful approach to serve tomatoes, this pattern can also be good for you. Tomatoes are a wealthy supply of lycopene, an antioxidant that’s linked with coronary heart and pores and skin well being. Pairing them with a bit wholesome fats—like olive oil—may also help your physique soak up much more of these useful compounds.
And summer time is the perfect time to take pleasure in them. In contrast to the pale, mealy variations you’ll discover out of season, in-season tomatoes are heavy with juice and aromatic with the scent of sun-warmed vines. Whether or not you develop your personal or snag them on the farmers’ market, now could be the time to take pleasure in them with as few steps between backyard and plate as doable.
Tomato flights are fast, enjoyable and endlessly customizable. Consider them as a tomato tasting board—a approach to take advantage of what is likely to be the perfect chunk of the season. And as summer time appetizers go, these boards are an effective way to entertain deliciously with out tons of effort.
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