Introduction

Since the mid-seventies, microwave cooking has become part and parcel of my busy everyday life and given me more flexibility and freedom in and out of the kitchen than I ever imagined possible. Speedy, cool, hygienic, reliable and undemanding, the microwave works like a charm, cooks like a dream and uses only minimal electricity, a major consideration in times of rising energy costs and the need to make savings where we can.

It is an accepted fact that microwave ovens cannot completely replace conventional ovens and hobs but they do go a long way towards it. Used to full capacity, a microwave can become the most efficient, valued and respected piece of equipment in your kitchen, and my intention in writing this book is to put together a package of innovative recipes in addition to old favourites, proving that a wide range of dishes can be microwaved successfully. I have sometimes given an alternative method of cooking some of the ingredients used in a specific recipe to save time, or suggested finishing off a dish under the grill (broiler) to crisp skin or brown a topping. In these instances, your microwave will work in perfect harmony with your conventional oven.

I have to admit that some dishes are not at their best if given the microwave treatment. Yorkshire pudding collapses. Pancakes fare no better, though they reheat to perfection. Soufflés and éclairs fail with irritating predictability. Meringues just about work but take so long you might just as well bake them conventionally and have done with it. And deep-frying is taboo because it is impossible to control the temperature of the fat or oil.

Some people still regard the microwave as something to use only for defrosting and reheating. A pity, because they’re missing out. Many grow to love microwave cookery and soon come to understand and appreciate its seemingly magical properties ... Over to you.