Air fryers may be the latest gourmet trend, but former MasterChef winner Tim Anderson says the humble microwave will outlast them.
Kitchen essentials have been around for 50 years, and sales have recently skyrocketed due to rising utility costs.
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A hero of convenience, microwave ovens save time and money. Tim’s new book, Microwave Meals: Delicious Recipes That Save Time, Effort, and Energy, is packed with 60 recipes to help you take your meals to the next level.
From a simple garlic chicken dish, said to be former US President Bill Clinton’s favorite dish, to classic pasta, to a 3-minute emergency dessert, all you have to do is throw the ingredients in the microwave and wait for the sound.
- Tim Anderson’s Microwave Meals: Delicious Recipes That Save Time, Effort and Energy (£16.99, Hardy Grant) is on sale next Thursday. Editor: Kirsty Spence. Photo by Sam Harris.
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spaghetti carbonara
(For 4 people)
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takes: 15 minutes
Things necessary:
Lardon (pancetta or bacon) 75g
1 teaspoon olive oil or vegetable oil
spaghetti 200g
450ml water
2 eggs
50g Pecorino cheese, finely grated, more as needed
Lots of black pepper
Method: Combine lardons and oil in a large bowl.
Stir well to coat and cook uncovered for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Stir several times during cooking to loosen ingredients.
Leave to cool in the bowl. Do not throw away the rendered fat.
In a separate container, mix spaghetti with water and a spoonful of fat from rendered lardons.
Stir, cover, and cook for 12 minutes, stirring again halfway through cooking.
Meanwhile, once the lardons and their fat have cooled, put the eggs, pecorino cheese, and pepper in a bowl and mix well so the eggs are foamy.
When the pasta is finished cooking, remove the cover and stir it in the container to break up any clumps (the clumps won’t stick together, but you’ll need to break them up before adding them to the sauce).
Add the cooked pasta to the egg mixture along with the remaining pasta water (not too much) and use tongs to mix well so that the spaghetti is well coated.
Serve immediately. You can also garnish with more pecorino cheese and pepper if you like (but for me this is not necessary).
emergency mixing bowl cookie cake
(1-3 servings)
8
takes: 3 minutes
Things necessary:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
6 tablespoons soft flour
1 teaspoon vanilla essence (optional)
4 tablespoons breakfast cereal, desiccated coconut, flaked almonds, chopped pistachios, etc., or a combination thereof
Baking powder 1/16 teaspoon*
1/16 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda*
a pinch of salt
2 tablespoons chocolate chips or chocolate chunks, milk or dark, or a mixture of both
Ice cream (if desired)
* There is no need to prepare 1/16 tsp. Use 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon and eyeball.
Method: Combine the butter and milk in a pasta bowl or similar shallow dish and cook for 30 seconds, until the butter is melted and the milk is warm.
Add sugar and mix, then add all remaining ingredients except chocolate and ice cream and mix well.
Add the chocolate chunks, line the edges of the bowl with a cloth or paper towel, and cook uncovered for 1 minute to 90 seconds.
Let cool for 1-2 minutes, then serve directly from the bowl and top with 1-2 scoops of ice cream.
Penne with sausage and peppers
(3-4 servings)
8
takes: 24 minutes
Things necessary:
Penne 200g
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
250ml water
400g canned tomatoes
60g pitted green olives
2 green peppers (seeds removed and coarsely chopped)
Prick 300-400g of sausage all over with a fork.
Tear or chop a handful of basil or flat leaf parsley leaves.
Salt (appropriate amount)
grated parmesan cheese (for garnish)
Method: Stir penne, oil, garlic, chili flakes, oregano, water, and tomatoes in a large bowl.
Add olives, peppers and sausage on top.
Cover and cook for 24 minutes, stirring every 8 minutes.
Add the basil at the end of cooking, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt if you like (mine usually doesn’t need any).
Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.
fish pie mix coconut curry
(For 4 people)
8
takes: 20 min
Things necessary:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2.5cm fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated
1/2 onion (grated or chopped)
4 cardamom pods (crushed)
1 finger chili pepper (split in the middle)
1 small tomato, grated (remove skin)
1/2 lemongrass stem, cut in half lengthwise and pounded with a blunt object (optional)
Fresh curry or lime leaves, torn, or a handful of dry curry leaves (optional)
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
Canned coconut milk 400g
1 tablespoon fish sauce
500g new potatoes (washed and cut in half)
Take a handful of large coriander leaves and chop them finely.
Fish pie mix 300-350g
Salt (appropriate amount)
1 lime (cut into 4 pieces)
Method: Combine oil, ginger, and onion in a large bowl, cover, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Add cardamom, chilli, tomatoes, lemongrass, curry leaves or lime leaves (if using), stir, cover and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add curry powder, coconut milk, fish sauce and potatoes, cover again and simmer for 12 minutes until potatoes are tender.
Remove 5 or 6 potatoes from the liquid and mash them in a separate bowl, add the mash back to the curry and stir well (this will help thicken and bind the sauce).
Add most of the coriander and fish pie mix and stir well. Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the fish is cooked through.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if necessary.
Top with remaining cilantro and serve with lime on the side. Serve with rice or parathas.
“Bill Clinton” Chicken Orzo
(For 4 people)
8
takes: 25 minutes
Things necessary:
200g orzo
400ml water
40g butter
1 crushed stock cube (any kind will work, but chicken is best)
1/2 teaspoon each of dried sage, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
4 chicken thighs
A few sprigs of parsley (optional), chopped
Method: Combine chicken and all ingredients except parsley in a large bowl and place chicken on top of pasta.
Cover and cook for 25 minutes. Stir before serving and garnish with chopped parsley (if using).
Hot chicken sandwich with yogurt mayo
(For 2 people)
8
takes: 6 minutes
Things necessary:
For source:
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper or similar hot chili powder
1 teaspoon cornflour
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic granules
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
For chicken:
4 skinless chicken thighs
1 and 1/2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 and 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 hamburger buns or 4 thick slices of lightly toasted white bread
6 pieces of iceberg lettuce
6-8 gherkin slices
A large handful of crushed potato chips with salt and vinegar
Method: Combine all sauce ingredients in a large bowl and mix well, making sure there are no lumps of cornflour left.
Add the chicken to the spice mixture, loosely cover, and cook for 6 minutes, stirring the chicken twice during cooking.
Meanwhile, mix together the yogurt and mayonnaise and spread a small amount onto the bottom hamburger bun or bread.
Place a few iceberg lettuce leaves on top of the bun and place the cooked chicken on top, including the bowl of sauce.
Top with gherkins, potato chips, remaining yogurt mayonnaise, and top with remaining bread.
