Breakfast Foods and Snacks

This chapter is all about food for breakfast, lunch, tea and supper – tasty morsels that cook in the microwave in next-to-no-time for fast meals when you’re in a hurry and all you want is an easy snack. There are quick ‘things on toast’, tasty rarebits and a delicious and crackling DIY granola cereal, originally from North America, which makes a pleasing change from morning muesli. Instructions for cooking hassle-free porridge and a guide to preparing bacon can also be found.

Welsh Rarebit

Serves 2

125 g/4 oz/1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

5 ml/1 tsp mustard powder

5 ml/1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

1 egg yolk

10 ml/2 tsp milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large slices freshly made toast

Paprika

Mix the cheese with the mustard, cornflour, egg yolk and milk. Season to taste. Spread over the toast. Transfer to individual plates. Cook one at a time, uncovered, on Full for 1 minute. Sprinkle lightly with paprika and eat straight away.

Mixed Cheese Rarebit

Serves 2

Prepare as for Welsh Rarebit, but substitute 50 g/2 oz/½ cup crumbled Stilton cheese for half the Cheddar.

Buck Rarebit

Serves 2

Prepare as for Welsh Rarebit, but top each slice with a fried (sautéed) egg, cooked either in the microwave or conventionally.

Bacon Rarebit

Serves 2

Put 4 streaky bacon rashers (slices) on a plate and cover with kitchen paper. Cook on Full for 2½ minutes. Prepare the Welsh Rarebit and top each slice with 2 bacon rashers.

Beer Rarebit

Serves 4

Slightly more ornate, this is a substantial snack for midday or the evening.

25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter or margarine, at kitchen temperature

5 ml/1 tsp mild made mustard

2.5 ml/½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

5 ml/1 tsp tomato ketchup (catsup)

225 g/8 oz/2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated

45 ml/3 tbsp dark ale

4 slices freshly made toast

1 large tomato, sliced

Chopped parsley

Bacon and fried (sautéed) or poached eggs (optional), to serve

Combine the butter or margarine with the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, cheese and ale. Spread equal amounts over the toast. Transfer to four individual plates. Cook, uncovered one at a time, on Full for 1 minute. Add the tomato slices and a sprinkling of parsley. If liked, top with bacon and/or eggs.

Open-topped Hungarian Salami Sandwiches

Serves 4

These are based on a recipe found in a leaflet at a Hungarian trade fair held in London. The subtle smokiness of the salami gives the sandwiches a continental flair.

4 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped

75 g/3 oz Hungarian salami, rinded and finely chopped

175 g/6 oz/1½ cups Emmental cheese, finely grated

2 egg yolks

4 large slices freshly made toast

Pickled cucumber slices, to garnish

Put the onions and salami in a bowl and combine with the cheese and egg yolks. Spread over the toast. Cook one at a time, uncovered, on Full for 1–1½ minutes until the cheese melts. Serve straight away.

Granola

Makes about 750 g/1½ lb/6 cups

Like dry and sweet muesli with a distinctive crackle and a crunch, this is an import from North America where it is eaten as a breakfast cereal with milk or as a nibble instead of biscuits (cookies). Diet food it isn’t, but it can be enjoyed as an occasional weekend treat.

125 g/4 oz/½ cup butter or margarine

90 ml/6 tbsp golden (light corn) syrup

250 g/9 oz/2¼ cups porridge oats

45 ml/3 tbsp coarse bran

100 g/3½ oz/scant ½ cup light soft brown sugar

75 g/3 oz/¾ cup chopped nuts

100 g/3½ oz/2/3 cup raisins

Put the butter or margarine in a 25 cm/10 in diameter casserole dish (Dutch oven). Add the syrup. Melt, uncovered, on Defrost for 4 minutes. Mix in all the remaining ingredients except the raisins. Cook, uncovered, on Full for 9½ minutes, stirring four or five times, until the granola is lightly browned. Add the raisins and mix in thoroughly. Allow to stand until cold and crisp, then break up with a fork until crumbly. Store in an airtight container.

Honey Granola

Makes about 750 g/1½ lb/6 cups

Prepare as for Granola, but substitute clear honey for the syrup.

Porridge

For 1 portion: put 25 g/1 oz/¼ cup porridge oats in a cereal bowl. Add 150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup cold milk or water and a pinch of salt. Cook, uncovered, on Full for 1¾–2 minutes, stirring twice. Allow to stand for 1½ minutes before eating.

For 2 portions in 2 bowls: prepare as for 1 portion, but cook on Full for 3–3½ minutes.

For 3 portions in 3 bowls: prepare as for 1 portion, but cook on Full for 3½ –4 minutes.

Bacon

Bacon reacts well to microwave cooking and shrinks less than if grilled (broiled) or fried (sautéed) conventionally. Place the rasher or rashers (slices) in a single layer on a plate and cover lightly with kitchen paper to prevent spluttering and soiling the oven. The cooking time needed will vary according to the type and thickness of the bacon, but this is a general guide:

1 rasher: cook on Full for 45–60 seconds

2 rashers: cook on Full for 1½–1¾ minutes

3 rashers: cook on Full for 2–2¼ minutes

4 rashers: cook on Full for 2½–2¾ minutes

5 rashers: cook on Full for 3–3½ minutes

6 rashers: cook on Full for 4–4½ minutes

Drain the bacon on clean kitchen paper after cooking.