[swan]

Today it's my turn to come up with new topics .

We talked a lot about living without a microwave - and I can!! But in this mini-appartment with a tiny tiny kitchen we're living in for now (two electric burners for cooking) I do have a microwave and sadly, sadly no oven. As it has to stay the way it is I cannot change that. So one option would be: find the plug, unplug, remove microwave and use room for storage. But...maybe, just maybe we could all together come up with some microwave succes stories? I would love to make use of whatever knowledge you guys can come up with. (Spongecake maybe?)

[Jennifer K]

Dear Swan,
It's funny, because I have the same setup in my new Paris apartment, two electric burners and a microwave (and a small fridge). Actually, the microwave just broke so I'm down to the two burners. I plan to eventually buy a microwave-sized toaster oven.
I don't have much experience cooking with a microwave, but a friend once told me they're great for cooking fresh asparagus: just clean the asparagus under running water, place on a paper-towel lined plate and the residual water on the stalks is enough moisture for cooking, then zap. I have never tried it though.

[Debbie]

Our first appart in Paris had just a burner in the draining board of the sink and a microwave. Very frustrating.

There are heaps of things you can make in the microwave, and you can even cook for a dinner party if you want so take heart.

I did find that cakes made in the microwave did not keep as well as normally baked cakes, but if you are making for visitors then it isn't a problem as you can turn out a cake as they walk in the door.

One frustration for us was no roasts as the microwave was just a plain one with no "extra's" so we couldn't brown etc.

Will have to look up my old files, but I have heaps of recipes that I developed for the microwave.

Think of foods cooked "en papillote" and you will find the sort of foods that go well in the micro. You can also buy fabulous cookware that makes it easy to prepare and cook meals in one go. Stacker type containers that will regulate the cooking so long as you follow directions of what goes in which level.

Good luck!
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If you cannot feel your arteries hardening, eat more cheese. If you can, drink more red wine. Diet is just "die" with a "t" on the end. Exercise is walking into the kitchen.

[Jennifer K]

Debbie, your post is so helpful! You're right, microwaves would be great for cooking "en papillote." I'm picturing all kinds of fresh fish and veggie dishes...

[KYHeirloomer]

En papillote works in the microwave for a simple reason: most "cooking" in a microwave actually is steaming. The moisture in the food is heated, from the inside.

Once you understand that, however, you can get a bit creative. Anything using a liquid as the cooking medium can be adapted to the microwave: including poaching and braising.

You'll have to experiment with times and power settings, but you can be surprisingly creative with one of them.

[melinda]

i do risotto in the micro.....recipe in the Barbara Kafka book Microwave Gourmet.....veggies (asparagus or broc. mostly), taters (cut up in chunks & doused with olive oil, garlic, rosemary).....i have done salmon ....esp if i'm serving it cold (prefer it broiled if serving hot)......

a recent discovery is that u can cook papadums instead of having to fry.....simply put on a couple of layers of paper towels & micro on hi a couple of min....depends on size....
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[swan]

Melinda, thanks, you've just given me an excuse to buy a new cookbook . Will try the potatoes and go look for that risottorecipe, sounds good!

And Deb, yes, that does make sense, ' en papillotte'. In the still to arrive shipment I have some special microwave-steamingbags, picked up on one of my travels, can use those if and when they arrive.

And will add funny microwave-cooking items to my shopping list for today - houseware shopping and looking for an immersion blender.

Love to do chores like that

[dory]

I really do recommend getting a toaster oven along with the microwave cooking apparatus. Of course I don't know your setup, but I have a toaster oven even in my office. I am the queen of toaster ovens. In the U.S. you can get them pretty cheap, and they really really expand your cooking possibilities. Of course I realize I am not answering your question and may be frustrating you as well.

Dory

[KYHeirloomer]

Dory, could you expand a little on your use of toaster ovens?

I haven't had one since I was a kid, and Mom used it. I was thinking of getting one, but then America's Test Kitchen did a comparison of them, on units ranging from low prices to top of the line.

They concluded that none of them were worth having. Which is, obviously, the opposite of your experience. So I'd like to hear more about how you use it, and what you cook in it.

Thanks.

[swan]

Found and made a banana bread recipe. Needs some fine-tuning, mostly in cooking time I guess, flavour is great, it just turned out very dry.. But...not bad for a first try!

[dory]

The "toaster" oven I use is a bit on the big size and is one of those combination portable ovens/convection ovens. It is also on the more expensive end for toaster ovens. The brand name is Toastess and I think I paid $100 for it. It has literally changed my life. I have no air conditioning, and my kitchen is open to the rest of the house. Summers here in Wisconsin can be surprisingly hot. I had quit doing all baking, grilling and roasting in summer, because turning on my big oven heated up my house to the point where it was intolerable. I set up a summer kitchen on my back porch. I now use the oven almost every day in summer. I grill meat, South American style for my husband. I make grilled summer vegetables for me. My favorite dish is chopped up potatoes and dead ripe summer tomatoes drizzled with a little olive oil and with salt and black pepper to taste. I won’t bother with winter tomatoes. I find them disgusting, but our garden tomatoes are delicious this way. I also make cakes, bread and cobbler. The oven is a bit too small for something like Angel food cake, but I can make layer and loaf cakes. My only problem is that the spring in the door is getting a bit worn after 3 summers of almost daily use, but I have to say I have gotten my money’s worth. I am now looking for a portable hot plate that is actually worth something, because I also avoid things like soup on those hot summer days.

[dory]

I was just thinking of the small kitchen microwave issue, and I was also thinking of Chinese ways of cooking. Something just occurred to me. I make steamed pudding, English American style at Christmas, and it comes out great. I know that South Americans make some kinds of steamed but sweet tamales. I also have a distinct memory of once making a light yellow cake or muffins in a steamer, and having the recipe come out really well, although I never repeated it, or marked the recipe. I bet it would be possible to make steamed cupcakes in the style of sweet dumplings or Chinese steamed buns. I am going to try to remember where I found the recipe. I remember the top being slightly moist and I am tempted to say rubbery but that word sounds unpleasant, and this sensation was definitely pleasant-- at least to me. If I had no oven and no way to get one, I would probably try steaming rather than a microwave to make "baked" goods. OF course I am not sophisticated with microwaves, using mine for only a few purposes-- defrosting meat, warming dog food that has been in the refrigerator, reheating leftovers, and slightly pre-cooking beets I am going to steam or roast so they don't take so long. Real cooking in a microwave is beyond me.

Dory

P.S. Here are two sources I found for steamed desserts. One is a Thai site and the other is English. When I make steamed pudding I use either the top part of a double boiler or a springform pan lined with aluminum foil as a pudding basin, depending on how big my recipe is. The Thai desserts look so enticing I want to try them.

Thai: http://www.khiewchanta.com/archives/desserts/steamed-desserts/

English: http://www.alldessertrecipes.com/dessert-recipes/steamed-desserts/steamed-desserts.php

[rupert]

Great microwave recipe:

Potatoes, in slices
Onions, copped in rings.
Butter, cream, s&p

Give some butter in a microwave-safe vessel. Layer over it potatos and onions.
Mix cream (or milk or both) with pepper and salt and give it over the potatos and onions. There has to be some liquid that the potatoes won't dry out during the cooking.
Close with a plastic wrap and cook in the microwave for 10 minutes at maximum power. Be careful when opening (steam!)
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