Daewoo KOC-991C User Manual

MICROWAVE-COMBINATION-GRILL

COOKBOOK

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION	1
WEIGHT	1
WHAT ARE MICROWAVES?	1
HOW THE COOKING WORKS	2
FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE MICROWAVE COOKING	2
COOKING TECHNIQUES	4
UTENSIL GUIDE	4
UTENSILS CHART	5
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST SIZE AND SHAPE OF DISH	6
PROGRAM COOK	6
FIRST STEPS	7
CONVENIENCE FOODS - REHEATING GUIDE	9
SOUPS & STARTERS	11
PASTA, RICE, CHEESE AND EGGS	13
FISH AND SEAFOOD	18
MEAT AND POULTRY	21
VEGETABLES & PULSES	31
CAKES AND DESSERTS	37
PRESERVES AND BEVERAGES	43
INDEX	46

INTRODUCTION

These recipes have been tested and are suitable for both 900w and 1000w outputs microwave cookers. Wherever possible, use the shorter time. REMEMBER always undercook rather than overcook.

Food tested was used under normal storage conditions, it was in the cupboard, refrigerator or freezer.

All flour quoted in recipes is plain unless otherwise specified.

All sugar quoted in recipes is granulated unless otherwise specified.

All spoon measurements are level unless otherwise quoted.

All recipes serve 4 unless stated otherwise.

All recipes using milk were tested using semi-skimmed milk unless quoted otherwise.

The recipes in this book have been especially balanced to get the very best results whether using metric or imperial measurements. It is important to follow either metric or imperial measurements.

It is important to follow either metric or imperial measures and not to use a combination of the two.

WEIGHT

METRIC	IMPERIAL
15g	1/2oz

25g	1oz

50g	2oz

125g	4oz

175g	6oz

225g	8oz

350g	12oz

450g	1lb

WHAT ARE MICROWAVES?

Microwave cooking is a very fast cooking method which makes use of the properties of microwave energy unlike conventional cooking which relies on external heat (like a hot oven or hob) to cook the food.

Microwaves are what the name implies; they are small waves of energy. In fact, they are electromagnetic waves and are similar to radio and television waves. Microwaves are attracted to fat, sugar and moisture molecules in the food and penetrate to a depth of 2.5- 3.5cm/1-11/2 "depending on the food being cooked. As they penetrate the food they cause the molecules to vibrate against each other at a tremendous rate and because of the friction between the molecules, heat is produced which cooks the food.

LIQUID MEASURES

METRIC	IMPERIAL
15ml	1tbs

150ml	1/4pt

200ml	1/3pt

300ml	1/2pt

450ml	3/4pt

600ml	1pt

900ml	1 1/2pts

1.2l	2pts

HOW DOES MY MICROWAVE WORK?

The heart of a microwave is a device called a magnetron, a tube similar to a tube in a television. The magnetron converts electrical energy to microwaves which are then channelled into the cooking cavity by a waveguide. The turntable ensures that the microwave energy is evenly distributed within the food.

When the oven door is closed, and the timer is set the magnetron will produce microwaves. When the time is up a signal will sound that the timer has automatically switched the cooker off and cooking has stopped; i.e. the magnetron is no longer producing microwaves. Similarly the oven will switch off the microwaves if the door is opened during the preset time.

HOW DO MICROWAVES COOK FOOD?

Once inside the cooking cavity, microwaves will either be REFLECTED, TRANSMITTED or ABSORBED by different substances.

REFLECTED

Metal reflects microwaves, just as a mirror reflects light. This means that they can be contained in a metal box, in this case inside your oven. This also means you cannot cook in metal dishes or saucepans as the microwaves would not be able to penetrate the metal.

TRANSMITTED

Just as light passes through a window, so microwaves are transmitted through cooking containers such as glass, some plastics, china (without metal trim), paper, ceramics without absorbing them.

ABSORBED

Microwaves are primarily absorbed by substances containing water and all food contains water molecules. The microwaves are attracted to the tiny molecules of water in the food and cause them to vibrate at an incredibly high speed (2,450 million times per second). This creates frictional heat (just like when you rub your hands together) as the vibrating molecules rub each other and in turn creates heat which cooks the food. The exterior of the food begins to cook first, and the interior of the food cooks by the heat that is conducted from the outside of the food to the centre. Microwaves cook from the outside in and NOT from the inside out.

HOW THE COOKING WORKS

MICROWAVE

This quick method of cooking is great for moist food such as fish and vegetables. The energy efficient method saves time and nutrients compared to conventional cooking, with less drying out of exterior surfaces. Each recipe for microwave cooking uses the specific power level which is most appropriate for food being cooked, similar to an oven setting in conventional cooking.

CONVECTION

Convection cooking is a process of heating whereby the food is cooked by a constantly changing flow of hot air. The hot air is forced over the food by a recirculating fan system which then passes over electrical heating elements to heat up the air very rapidly and circulate it over the food. This heats up the outside of the food

which then cooks by heat conducting from the outside to the inside. Foods such as meringues, yorkshire pudding benefit from being cooked by this method.

COMBINATION

This can either be a combination of microwave energy and convection, or a combination of microwave energy and grill. It combines the advantages of two cooking methods to produce conventionally cooked results very quickly. Microwave energy alone cannot produce baked or roasted results comparable with conventional means, because it is not possible to achieve the high surface temperatures required for browning and crisping. Conventional heat will give a traditional appearance to food but it is not possible to cook quickly due to the slow process of heat conduction. Combination works on the principle of a simultaneous application of microwave energy and hot heat. The microwave energy provides rapid cooking and the hot heat energy gives a brown baked or roasted appearance.

GRILL

This cooking mode is similar to conventional grilling. The heat from the grill unit is directed to the surface of the food placed on the metal rack. Foods will need to be turned over to ensure even browning on both sides. For best results, choose foods that are 2.5cm/1” thick or less and are uniform in thickness.

FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE MICROWAVE COOKING

Your microwave oven will defrost, heat and cook food very quickly but there are several factors which will affect timing and end results.

Density

Dense foods such as meat joints will take longer to cook than porous foods such as bread, cakes, minced beef and puddings. Microwaves cannot penetrate so deeply into dense compact foods so the centre is heated and cooked by conduction from the hotter outer surfaces. For example a pudding placed in the oven will be rapidly penetrated by microwaves because of its open porous texture (a 450g/11b christmas pudding only takes 2 minutes to reheat) and extreme care must be taken not to overheat these types of food. The denser joint of meat however, may look cooked on the outside while the centre is underdone. Minced meat is less dense than a joint of meat, so a beefburger will cook more quickly than a steak.

Volume

In conventional cooking it is not always necessary to increase the time when altering the quantity of food but in the microwave as the volume or quantity of food is increased so is the time. This is because smaller quantities of food receive more concentrated amounts of microwave energy. For example, if you cooked one 175g/6oz jacket potato in 4 minutes, two potatoes would require approximately 6-7 minutes to cook. Therefore if you wish to change the quantity in a recipe, an adjustment in timing is necessary. As a guide, if you double the amount of food, you allow between one third and one half extra cooking time and ALWAYS CHECK AT THE SHORTEST TIME. Similary when quantities are halved, decrease the cooking time to slightly more than half.

Again play safe, undercook and test.

Shape and size

Small foods cook faster than large foods, similarly thin foods cook faster than thick foods. When cooking stews and other dishes requiring various meats and vegetables cooked together, cut the meat and vegetables into the same shapes and sizes to prevent smaller pieces being overcooked before larger pieces are cooked. Boned and rolled joints of meat cook more evenly and are preferable to joints with bone because they are more evenly shaped. Poultry cooks more evenly if trussed. Small protruding portions such as the wing tips and legs of poultry, or the narrower end of a leg of lamb may be covered with small smooth pieces of aluminum foil to reflect microwaves from these parts and so slow down their cooking rate. Note that aluminum foil must never touch the sides of the oven cavity as this can cause arcing and may damage the oven.

Arrangement of food

For even heating, food should be of a fairly even height. For instance, spread out peas rather than have a mound in the centre of the dish. When reheating a pre-plated meal, arrange the food so the more porous foods are towards the centre and the thicker pieces are towards the outside. Food should be arranged so the thicker, denser parts are towards the outside of the dish. For example, put the meatier parts of chicken drumsticks towards the outside of the dish and thinner bone ends towards the centre.

Temperature

As in conventional cooking, the starting temperature of food will affect the cooking time. Food taken from the refrigerator will take longer to heat than food at room temperature. Warm food will become hot in seconds and

lukewarm water heats faster than cold water. For example, frozen sweetcorn will take longer to cook than canned sweetcorn. RECIPES IN THIS BOOK ASSUME THAT FOOD IS AT ITS NORMAL STORAGE TEMPERATURES.

Covering

Many foods are covered during cooking to trap in moisture, prevent dehydration and speed cooking. Food covered with microwave cling film forms a tight seal which will cook more quickly and evenly than if a less efficient covering such as a loose casserole lid is used.

Stirring and turning

As in conventional cooking, some food will need to be stirred or turned over. Always stir from the outside to the inside as this moves the heated food from the edges to the centre and the cooler food to the outside were it cooks faster. Turn over meat and other dense foods to ensure more even cooking. Sometimes food that cannot be stirred must be rearranged in the dish to ensure even heating.

Critical/sensitive ingredients

Some foods microwave very quickly and can overcook, curdle or 'pop'. These include baked beans, cream, scallops, eggs and cheese.

NEVER COOK AND EGG IN ITS SHELL, MICROWAVE COOKING IS SO FAST THAT PRESSURE WILL BUILD UP INSIDE THE SHELL AND CAUSE IT TO EXPLODE.

To avoid sudden boiling

1.Lids

Always remove the lids off jars and containers before you microwave them. If you don't, steam pressure may build up inside and cause an explosion even after the microwave cooking has stopped.

2.Liquids

WARNING:When heating liquids, e.g. soups, sauces and drinks in your microwave oven, overheating the liquid beyond boiling point can occur without the evidence of bubbling. This could result in a sudden 'boil over' of the hot liquid. To help prevent this happening, the following steps should be followed:-

a)Avoid straight sided containers with narrow tops or necks.

b)Do not overheat.

c)Stir the liquid before placing the container in the oven and again halfway through the heating time.

d)After heating, allow to stand in the oven for a short time, stir again before carefully removing the container.

Standing time

Cooking continues after food is removed from a microwave oven, or when the microwave energy is turned off. The food is no longer being cooked by microwaves but by the conduction of heat to the centre. It is often advisable to undercook or defrost food slightly and let the process finish during the standing time as recommended in recipes.

After 'standing' for a few minutes, the internal temperature of food rises and finishes the cooking process. For this reason ALWAYS UNDERCOOK RATHER THAN OVERCOOK AND TEST FOR READINESS AFTER THE 'STANDING TIME'. This advice cannot be stressed strongly enough. Undercooked food can always be returned to the microwave oven for a few extra seconds or minutes if necessary, but there is no remedy for overcooked food.

Quality of food and ingredients

As with conventional cooking, end results will be related to the quality of ingredients used. Your microwave cooker is a wonderful appliance but it cannot work miracles.

Browning

Small items of food which cook very quickly in a microwave cooker will not brown. Large joints of meat will brown naturally as their natural fats are drawn to the outer surfaces during the longer cooking times.

Microwave browning dishes are specially designed for use in microwave cookers. They are first preheated before food is placed on the dish to sear and brown. During cooking the food is turned over to brown the other side. These dishes can get very, very hot, so always use oven gloves to handle them. Protect your worksurface with a placemat before placing the hot dish on it.

COOKING TECHNIQUES

Covering

Covering a dish holds in heat and steam to speed cooking. Use a casserole lid, a plate or microwave film. Vent plastic by turning back one edge at the side of dish to form a narrow slot where excess steam can escape. To hold in heat and prevent latters without steaming, use paper towelling. Roaster bags can be used when cooking meats and these help to keep the oven clean. If covering during combination cooking, ensure that the cover is heatproof. Carefully remove any cover away from you to avoid contact with hot steam.

Arrangement

Arrange foods of a uniform size, such as baking potatoes, in a ring shape to allow equal exposure to the microwave energy or convection heat. Rearranging refers to the changing of the arrangement if necessary during the cooking of some foods to promote even cooking. Outer pieces should be moved to the inside, and inner pieces should be moved to the outside to be rearranged properly.

Stirring

Stir foods from outside to centre of dish once or twice during cooking to equalize heat and speed. Stir foods to equalize food temperature, shorten cooking time, and blend flavours.

Rotating

The turntable does the rotating for you and minimizes the need to rotate the food.

Shielding

Shielding means to cover sensitive areas with foil to prevent overcooking. Use small amounts of smooth foil to cover areas of a dish or parts of food which cook too quickly. Foil must be at least 2.5-cm/1-inch from the sides of the oven. Use also with combination cooking if any areas brown too quickly, like pie crusts or uneven surfaces.

Turning

This means to reposition the food itself so that upper and lower surfaces are reversed. This can be done to individual pieces like halibut steaks or to an entire food like a beef roast, and whole poultry.

Standing Time

Standing time allows microwave-cooked foods to finish cooking after they are removed from the oven. During the standing time, the heat that has been created within the food is equalized throughout.

Dense foods, whole vegetables, or casseroles usually call for longer standing times. In combination cooking, whole roasts and poultry also benefit from standing time to redistribute the natural juices throughout and make carving easier.

UTENSIL GUIDE

Microwave Utensils

It is very easy to test a dish to see if it is suitable for microwave use. Simply place the dish in the cooker along side a glass of water. Set the control to p-10 and the number pads to 11/2 minutes and press the START button. If the water gets hot and the dish stays cool, the dish is suitable. If the reverse is found, the dish must not

be used in a microwave oven. Should you find that both dish and the water are warm, this means that the dish is absorbing some microwave energy and although it could be used, being less efficient, the cooking or heating times will be longer.

You should not place any dish with metal trim in the oven. If a dish 'sparks' when you are testing it, simply switch off the oven immediately-the sparks indicate that there is metal in the material used to make the dish, and it should not be used in your oven.

Most suitable dishes will remain relatively cold during their use in the microwave oven because microwave energy passes through them. However, during cooking heat may be conducted from the hot food to dishes, so do take care when removing them from the oven.

Generally, metal dishes or utensils should not be used in your microwave oven since they reflect microwaves and inhibit cooking. There are, as always, exceptions to the rule, but in the following conditions the metal must not touch the oven's interior surfaces because this could cause arcing or pitting of the oven interior.

TV dinner trays less than 2cm 3/4" deep may be used because they are shallow enough to allow microwave to penetrate and heat food from the top.

Small pieces of foil can be used to shield food, or slow down cooking. You can for instance, cover thin ends of joints of meat of fish, tips of poultry wings or legs, outside edges of food-including cakes cooked in a large square or rectangular dishes which tend to

overcook at the sides or ends before the centre is cooked. BUT TAKE CARE, THE FOIL MUST NEVER TOUCH THE COOKER INTERIOR.

Plastic wrap that is specially marked for microwave use can be used for cooking and heating. It is recommended that the plastic wrap does not touch food because it may melt. Do not completely cover dish so steam can escape.

Convection Utensils

The metal cooking utensils you now own that you would normally use in the conventional oven are also suitable for convention cooking. Metal cooking utensils are recommended for convection cooking because they are the best heat conductors and promote browning.

Combination Utensils

Select utensils for COMBINATION cooking that allow microwaves to penetrate and yet can withstand grill heat. Since combination cooking uses microwave energy and grill heat, the utensils must be able to withstand both cooking modes.

The glass turntable and the metal rack that come with the oven are suitable for all cooking modes and may be used as the recipes direct.

UTENSILS CHART

Utensils Chart

Utensils	microwave	Convection	Combination	Grill
Glass(general)	Yes	No	No	No

Glass(heat resistant)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Ceramic	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

China(heat resistant)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Earthenware	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Plastic Wrap&Tableware	Yes	No	No	No

Paper	Yes	No	No	No

Basketware, Wood	Yes	No	No	No

Pottery	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Plastic Microwave Cookware	Yes	No	No	No

Metal Baking Pans	No	Yes	No	Yes

Aluminum Foil Pans	No	Yes	No	Yes

Cooking Bag&Oven Film	Yes	Yes	Yes(occasionally)	Yes

•When using the Microwave or Combination methods, remember the following:

•Do not use any utensil with silver, gold or other metallic decoration.

•Remove all metal covers or lids from foods prior to cooking

•Check that the material will not soften or distort when in contact with heat from the food.

•Can be used on combination, if heat resistant.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST SIZE AND SHAPE OF DISH

The dish you use to cook the food is almost as important as the quality of the food itself. As the size and shape of the dish affects the cooking, the attention necessary for the overall cooking time.

•Always match the size of the dish to the amount of food, filling dishes only half to two thirds full. It the chosen dish is too small, spillage is inevitable. If it is too big, the saucy portions will spread out to the edges of the dish and overcook.

•The depth of the dish is also very important. The same amount of food will take longer to cook in a small deep dish than in a larger shallower dish. This is because there is less depth of food in the larger dish and a larger surface area exposed to microwaves.

•For most even cooking and heating, round dishes are better than oval. Next comes square dishes which are preferable to rectangular, and they should have rounded corners to reduce the risk of overcooking in these areas.

•Straight sided dishes are better than dishes with sloping or curved sides.

•Ring moulds are ideal for foods which cannot be stirred during cooking. They are especially good for cakes and puddings since they allow microwaves to penetrate the food from the centre as well as the sides, top and bottom. If you do not have a ring mould and want to try this shape to cook a cake, you can improvise by placing a glass tumbler in the centre of a round dish.

•For the best result or results, use the type, shape and size of dish recommended in individual recipes.

PROGRAM COOK

One of the great merits of your oven is PROGRAM COOK.

Roast Beef(0.7kg~1.3kg), Roast Pork(0.7kg~1.3kg), Roast Chicken(0.7kg~1.5kg), can be cooked on PROGRAM COOK. Your oven will determine the cooking time and combination setting and you do not have to calculate "minutes per 0.1kgs" cooking times. As soon as you touch PROGRAM COOK and select the desired cooking item, the weight and your oven calculates cooking time.

Meat must be defrosted and at refrigerated temperature, not frozen. Roast meat weights in about 0.7 to 1.3kg range cook best.

Place roasts fat-side down and whole poultry breast-side down on a microwave roasting rack set in a microwave and heat-safe dish. Place dish on the turntable.

For the best results, follow the recommendations on the chart below.

Category	Food	Portions	Utensils	Standing Time(minutes)
C-1	Roast Beef	0.7kg~1.3kg	Roasting Rack	10-20

C-2	Roast Pork	0.7kg~1.3kg	Roasting Rack	10-20

C-3	Roast Chicken	0.7kg~1.5kg	Roasting Rack	10-20

GENERAL COOKING HINTS

1.If during the program cooking operation you hear 4 times 3 beeps, turn over the food.

2.When cooking a roast with an excess amount of drippings, it is helpful to remove the dripping at turnover time to prevent spattering.

3.Prick the meats, fish or poultry with a fork to prevent bursting. Steam builds up pressure in meats, fish, or poultry which are tightly covered by a skin or membrance.

4.Reduce suggested cooking times. It is aways better to undercook food rather than to overcook them. If a range of times is stated in a recipe, cook the minimum suggested time, check the result, and then cook slightly longer if necessary.

FIRST STEPS

If microwaving is new to you, don't panic, take it easy and follow some of the recipes in this section. These easy recipes will help build your confidence and you will soon be a 'microwave expert'. The recipes will give you an idea of timing and the appearance of microwaved food. REMEMBER always to take the shorter cooking time and common sense prevails. If you feel the food is overcooking, take it out, even though the recipe said 3 minutes more. When you first learnt to cook you may have made mistakes, but later the cooking will be easier.

POACHED EGG

30ml/2tbs water 1 size 3 egg

salt and pepper

Serves 1.

1.Place water into a ramekin dish or cup.

MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-10 for 30 seconds.

2.Break egg into dish or cup. Season to taste.

MICROWAVE, covered on P-5 for 50 seconds. Leave to stand covered for 1 minute.

COFFEE

5ml/1 tsp instant coffee powder or granuals sugar(optional)

175ml/6fl.oz milk or milk and water

Serves 1.

1.Blend coffee powder or granuals, sugar and a little milk together in a cup or mug. Add the remaining milk or milk and water and MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-10 for 1 minute 20 seconds.

BACON

2 rashers of bacon

1.Place bacon on a microwave rack or plate. Cover loosely with a piece of paper towelling.

MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 1 minute 20 seconds.

BAKED BEANS OR SPAGHETTI ON TOAST

198g/7oz can baked beans or spaghetti 1 slice of buttered toast

1.Spoon beans or spaghetti onto toast on a serving plate.

2.MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-10 for 11/2 minutes.

Serves 1.

SCRAMBLED EGGS

2 size 3 eggs 30ml/2 tbs milk salt and pepper

Serves 1.

1.Break eggs into a bowl. Beat together with milk and season to taste. MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-10 for

30 seconds, stir then MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-

10 for 30-40 seconds. Stir again.

WHITE SAUCE

25g/1oz butter or margarine	1. Put the butter or margarine in a large jug or bowl.
25g/1oz flour	MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-10 for 30 seconds.
300ml/1/2 pint milk	2. Stir in the flour and MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-
salt and pepper	10 for 30 seconds.
	3. Whisk in the milk and MICROWAVE, uncovered on
	P-10 for 3-4 minutes, whisking at the end of every
	minute.
	4. Season to taste.
Variations to the basic sauce
Add the following at the end of cooking time and whisk in.
CHEESE SAUCE
75g/3oz grated cheddar cheese
2.5ml/1/2 tsp mustard powder
PARSLEY SAUCE
30ml/2 tbs finely chopped parsley

ALL IN ONE BECHAMEL SAUCE

300ml/1/2 pint milk

1 small carrot, peeled and sliced

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

4 peppercorns blade of mace

25g/1oz butter or margarine 25g/1oz flour

salt and pepper

1.Put milk into a large jug and MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-10 for 11/2 minutes. Steep the vegetables and spices in milk and leave covered for 30 minutes. Then strain off vegetables.

2.Cut the butter or margarine into small pieces and place into a bowl with the flour and milk. Whisk together.

MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-10 for 2-3 minutes, whisking every minute until smooth.

3.Season to taste.

CONVENIENCE FOODS - REHEATING GUIDE

CANNED FOODS

Remove food from can and place in a bowl or small casserole dish. Cover with lid or microwave film and stir once during heating.

The following cooking times are on P-10.

Food	Time in minutes and seconds	Instructions
Baked beans
220g/71/2 oz	1m20s-1m40s
425g/15oz	3-3m30s
Vegetables e.g.
peas
425g/15oz	3-3m30s	Drain off liquid first
Pasta e.g.
spaghetti, macaroni
cheese 425g/15oz	3m10s-3m40s
Rice pudding
440g/151/2 oz	3-3m30s
Sponge pudding
298g/101/2 oz	1m30s-1m40s
Soup
425g/15 oz	3m

CHILLED FOODS

Most 'ready meals' have microwave instructions on them.

PASTRY FOODS

Reheated by combination and convection. Remove foods from all packaging.

340g/12oz Egg, cheese and bacon flan

Place on high rack. COMBINATION cook, uncovered on at 190˚C for 3 minutes, then CONVECT on at 190˚C for 3 minutes.

400g/14oz meat or chicken pie

Place on high rack. COMBINATION cook, uncovered on at 160˚C for 3 minutes. Turnover then CONVECT on at 160˚C for 3 minutes.

240g/8 oz pizza

Place on high rack. COMBINATION cook, uncovered on at 200˚C for 2 minutes, then CONVECT on at 200˚C for 2 minutes.

454g/11b 4 individual meat or chicken pies

Place on high rack. COMBINATION cook, uncovered on at 160˚C for 3 minutes. Turn pies over and CONVECT on at 160˚C for 5 minutes.

375g/9 oz 4 individual cornish pasties

Place on high rack. COMBINATION cook, uncovered on at 160˚C for 2 minutes. Then turnover and CONVECT on at 160˚C for 5 minutes.

FROZEN FOODS

Beef burgers

Place on high rack. GRILL on for 8 minutes each side.

Fish fingers, fish cakes

Place on high rack. GRILL on for 10minutes each side.

Oven chips

Place on pizza tray on high rack. GRILL on for 8 minutes. Rearrange and GRILL on for 4 minutes.

SOUPS & STARTERS

CARROT AND CORIANDER SOUP

25g/1oz butter

450g/1 lb carrots, peeled and diced 2 sticks of celery, scrubbed and diced 2.5ml/1/2 tsp ground coriander 2.5ml/1/2 tsp ground cumin 900ml/11/2 pints stock

30ml/2 tbs fresh chopped coriander leaves salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish

fresh coriander leaves

1.Place the butter, carrots and celery into a large casserole dish. MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 2 minutes. Stir, then repeat.

2.Stir in coriander and cumin. MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 4 minutes.

3.Pour in the stock, coriander and season to taste.

MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 15 minutes.

Stirring halfway through cooking.

4.Blend or pass soup through a sieve. To reheat;

MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 3 minutes or until hot. Serve garnished with fresh coriander leaves.

CURRIED PARSNIP SOUP

50g/2oz butter

1 onion, peeled and sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed 10ml/2 tsp curry powder

450g/1 lb parsnips, peeled and diced 25g/1 oz flour

1.21l/2 pints stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish single cream

1.Place the butter in a large casserole dish or heatproof mixing bowl, MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-10 for 50 seconds. Stir in the onion, garlic, curry powder and

MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-10 for 4 minutes.

2.Add the parsnips and MICROWAVE, covered on P- 10 for 7 minutes.

3.Stir in the flour and gradually stir in the stock. Season to taste. MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 15 minutes.

4.Liquidize or pass the soup through a sieve.

MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 2-3 minutes to reheat. Serve garnished with a swirl of cream.

TOMATO AND BASIL SOUP

30ml/2 tbs olive oil

1 onion, peeled and chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped 675g/11/2 lb ripe tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped

15ml/1 tbs tomato puree 25g/1 oz flour

600ml/1 pint hot stock

30ml/2 tbs fresh basil, chopped or 5ml/1 tsp dried basil 1 bayleaf

5ml/1tsp sugar

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish garlic croutons

1.Place oil, onion and garlic in a large casserole dish or mixing bowl. MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 4 minutes.

2.Add tomatoes and MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 3 minutes.

3.Stir in flour and gradually add stock and tomato puree. Then add herbs, sugar and season to taste.

MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 10 minutes. Stir halfway through cooking.

4.Remove bayleaf. Liquidize or pass soup through a sieve. Adjust seasonings if necessary. MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 2-3 minutes to reheat. Garnish with garlic croutons and serve with crusty bread.

STILTON AND PEACAN NUT STUFFED MUSHROOMS

25g/1 oz butter	1. Melt butter by placing in a bowl and MICROWAVE,
4 large flat mushrooms	uncovered on P-10 for 30 seconds. Finely chop the
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped	mushroom stalks and stir into butter with garlic, onion
2 spring onions, finely sliced	and red pepper. MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 3
25g/1 oz red pepper, finely chopped	minutes.
50g/2 oz fresh brown breadcrumbs	2. Stir in the breadcrumbs, nuts, parsley, seasoning and
25g/1 oz pecan nuts, chopped	half of the stilton cheese. Mix well.
30ml/2 tbs fresh chopped parsley	3. Arrange mushrooms on a plate and spoon stuffing
salt and pepper	mixture onto each mushroom. Sprinkle over with the
75g/3 oz stilton, grated or crumbled	remaining cheese. MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-8
	for 4-5 minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked.

HUMMUS

175g/6 oz dried chick peas juice of 2 lemons

4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 150ml/1/4 pint light tahini

60ml/4 tbs olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

CORN ON THE COB

4 fresh corn on the cob 25g/1 oz butter

freshly ground black pepper

1.Soak chick peas in a bowl overnight in water.

2.Rinse well. Add 600ml/1 pint boiling salted water.

MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 15 minutes. Stir then MICROWAVE, covered on P-5 for 10 minutes.

Leave to stand for 10 minutes before draining.

3.Put the chickpeas, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Add the tahini paste, olive oil and season to taste. Blend until smooth.

Serve with pitta bread and black olives.

1.Remove the husks from each cob and clean. Place onto a plate and dot over with the butter. Season. Cover plate loosely with microwave film, leaving a gap at the edge. MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 6 minutes.

Turn cobs over and move the middle corn to the edge and vice versa. MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 6-

8 minutes. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

PASTA, RICE, CHEESE AND EGGS

RICE AND PASTA

Rice and pasta are very easy to cook in the microwave without the mess of sticky pans. Always ensure that the container is large enough as the rice liquid may bubble over. There is not a great time saving when cooking by this method but the end results are very good. It is quicker to use boiling water from a kettle.

Add about 15ml/1 tbs oil to pasta water to prevent the pasta sticking together and occasional stirring would be helpful.

AMERICAN EASY TO COOK RICE

225g/8 oz easy to cook rice 600ml/1 pint boiling salted water

BASMATI RICE

Place rice and water into a casserole dish.

MICROWAVE, covered on P-10 for 8 minutes. Leave to stand covered, for 3 minutes.

225g/8oz basmati rice	Wash rice in cold water and drain throughly. Place rice
600ml/1 pint boiling salted water	and water into a casserole dish. MICROWAVE, covered
	on P-10 for 4 minutes, then P-5 for 7 minutes. Stand
	covered for 3 minutes.

LONG GRAIN RICE

225g/8oz long grain rice	Wash rice in cold water and drain. Put rice and water
600ml/1 pint boiling salted water	into a casserole dish. MICROWAVE, covered on P-10
	for 8-10 minutes. Stand covered for 3 minutes.

BROWN RICE

225g/8oz brown rice	Wash rice in cold water and drain. MICROWAVE,
900ml/11/2 pints boiling salted water	covered on P-10 for 10 minutes, stir then
	MICROWAVE, covered on P-5 for 15 minutes. Stand
	covered for 5 minutes.

EASY TO COOK BROWN RICE

225g/8oz easy to cook brown rice 750ml/11/4 pints boiling salted water

Put rice and water into a large casserole dish.

MICROWAVE, covered on P-8 for 18-20 minutes.

Stirring occasionally. Stand covered for 5 minutes.

LASAGNE

175g/6oz lasagne sheets	Place lasagne into a large rectangular dish. Pour over
1.2l/2 pints boiling salted water	boiling salted water and oil. MICROWAVE, uncovered
15ml/1 tbs oil	on P-10 for 6 minutes. Leave to stand covered for 3
	minutes.

MACARONI

225g/8oz short cut macaroni 1.2l/2 pints boiling salted water 15ml/1 tbs oil

Put macaroni, water and oil into a large bowl.

MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-10 for 5 minutes. Stand covered for 3 minutes.

PASTA SHAPES

225g/8oz pasta shapes e. g. spirals, shells, etc. 1.2l/2 pints boiling salted water

10ml/1 dsp oil

Place shapes into a large bowl. MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-10 for 7-8 minutes depending on shape. Leave to stand covered for 5 minutes.

SPAGHETTI

225g/8oz spaghetti	Break spaghetti into two and place in a rectangular dish
1.2l/2 pints boiling salted water	with the water and oil. MICROWAVE, uncovered on
15ml/1 tbs oil	P-10 for 5 minutes. Stand covered for 3 minutes.

TAGLIATELLE

225g/8oz tagliatelle	Place taglitelle in a bowl. Pour over water and oil.
1.2l/2 pints boiling salted water	MICROWAVE, uncovered on P-10 for 5 minutes.
15ml/1 tbs oil	Stirring halfway through cooking. Leave to stand
	covered for 3 minutes.

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