TV Chef Tom Woodbury’s New CookBook
Last week I interviewed Tom Woodbury, known as “Chef Tom” to millions of TV viewers of ShopNBC and ShopHQ, where he touted knives, pot and pans and other kitchenware.
Local viewers probably recognize him from his cooking segments on ABC-4’s “Good Things Utah.” I wrote about Tom’s new cookbook in my Standard-Examiner column. Growing up in South Weber, Tom was always intrigued with the science of food. Now he’s sharing his cooking know-how in a book, “Eat Fresh: Quick and Easy Meals,” (Cedar Fort, $18.99).
Woodbury, of Holladay, said the book is for people who like to make good food without a lot of complicated steps. He also wanted to introduce people to different flavors they might not be familiar with — Korean drumsticks, pulled pork with a blueberry sauce, or roasted almonds with rosemary and olives. Or adding sage and browned butter to mashed potatoes.
The recipes reflect some of the recipes Woodbury developed as a for shopping TV, as well as his local cooking segments on ABC-4’s news and “Good Things Utah” programs.
Although he’s made a name for himself as a TV chef, he hopes his book will entice people to get into the kitchen to cook, rather than simply watching TV cooking shows.
Currently, Woodbury is on what he calls a “TV sabbatical,” and is not affiliated with any television programs. With three young kids, he decided he needed to be home instead of spending much of his time traveling. His main job selling Thermoworks specialized thermometers to restaurants.
Here is one of his recipes, which uses a little bit of vinegar to give waffles a light, flaky texture. When vinegar is added to baking powder and baking soda, it causes a bubbly chemical reaction. Those bubbles makes the batter lighter.
The Best Whole Wheat Waffles Ever
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1. Preheat waffle iron.
2. Combine all dry ingredients and mix well.
3. Add milk, egg, oil and vanilla, and mix well to combine. Add enough liquid so that batter makes a small mound or ribbon temporarily before returning to level.
4. If you’re adding in additional fruit (blueberries, bananas, apples and so on), do it now, and gently stir.
5. Right before pouring batter onto waffle iron, add vinegar and mix quickly. Make waffles as per the instructions for your specific waffle maker.
6. Place on a cooling rack immediately after removing from waffle iron.
7. If you plan to freeze and reheat, wrap each waffle individually, and reheat in your toaster on a medium setting.
Makes 3 to 4 8-inich Belgian waffles.
Options: For blueberry waffles, add 1/2 cup fresh or frozen (and thawed) blueberries.
For banana waffles, add 1 mashed banana and mix it in immediately prior to adding vinegar.
— “Eat Fresh” by Tom Woodbury
Peach Panzanella
The Salad:
4 cups dense bread, cubed into bite-size pieces (sourdough or French bread preferred)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (California Olive Ranch brand preferred)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 roma tomatoes, sliced
3-4 large peaches, sliced
10-15 basil leaves, cut into small strips
5 ounces arugula (about 6 cups)
The Dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1. In a large frying pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Let oil warm for 60 seconds, and hten add bread, mixing rapidly to coat bread with olive oil. Sprinkle salt evenly over bread cubes. Cook 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently until bread is golden brown.
2. While bread is toasting, add tomatoes, peaches, baisil and srugula to a large salad bowl.
3. In a small container, make a dressing by combining olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Mix well.
4. Add toasted bread to salad and toss gently to combine. Add dressing and toss again. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes prior to serving to allow the bread to absorb moisture.
Makes 5-6 servings.
— “Eat Fresh” by Tom Woodbury
Note: For added richness, after toasting bread, use the same pan over medium-low heat to gently warm peaches. Let cook for 10 minutes, stirring gently every 2-3 minutes.
http://www.standard.net/Chat-and-Chew/2014/09/10/TV-chef-shares-recipes-in-new-cookbook.html