AIR FRYERS may be the latest food trend, but former MasterChef winner Tim Anderson says the humble microwave will outlive it.
The kitchen staple has been around for 50 years and recently sales have soared due to rising energy bills.
Heroes of convenience, microwaves save time and money – and Tim’s new book, Microwave Meals: Delicious Recipes to Save Time, Effort and Energy, comes with 60 recipes to help you up your meal game .
From an easy garlic chicken dish, considered one of former US President Bill Clinton’s favorites, to pasta classics and a three-minute emergency dessert, just pop the ingredients in the microwave and wait for the signal.
- Microwave Meals: Delicious Recipes to Save Time, Effort and Energy by Tim Anderson (£16.99, Hardie Grant) launches next Thursday. Compiled by: Kirsty Spence. Photography: Sam Harris.
8
SPAGHETTI CARBONARA
(Serves 4)
8
He takes: 15 minutes
YOU NEED:
75g bacon (pancetta or bacon)
1 teaspoon olive oil or vegetable oil
200g spaghetti
450ml of water
2 eggs
50g finely grated pecorino cheese, plus extra to serve if desired
Lots of black pepper
METHOD: Combine the lard and olive oil in a large bowl.
Stir well to coat and cook, uncovered, for two minutes and 30 seconds, stirring a few times during cooking to break them up.
Let cool in the bowl; do not discard the rendered fat.
In a separate container, mix the spaghetti with the water and a spoonful of melted lard.
Stir, cover and cook for 12 minutes, stirring again halfway through cooking.
Meanwhile, when the lard and fat have cooled, add the eggs, pecorino cheese and pepper to the bowl, mixing well to beat the egg.
When the pasta has finished cooking, remove the lid and stir the bowl to break up any lumps (it won’t stick together, but needs to be loosened before adding to the sauce).
Place the cooked pasta along with the remaining pasta water (there won’t be much) into the egg mixture and mix well with tongs, so that the spaghetti is well coated.
Serve immediately. If you want, you can decorate with more pecorino cheese and pepper (but for me it’s not necessary).
EMERGENCY MIX COOKIE CAKE
(Serves 1-3)
8
He takes: 3 minutes
YOU NEED:
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of milk
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
6 tablespoons plain flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
4 tablespoons of breakfast cereal, grated coconut, flaked almonds, chopped pistachios or similar – or a mixture
1 ⁄ 16 teaspoon baking powder*
1 ⁄ 16 teaspoon baking soda*
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of milk or dark chocolate chips or pieces or a mixture of both
Ice cream as needed
*I don’t expect you to have 1/16 teaspoon – just use ¼ or ½ teaspoon and watch.
METHOD: Combine the butter and milk in a pasta bowl or similar shallow dish and cook for 30 seconds so the butter melts and the milk heats up.
Add the sugar, add all remaining ingredients except the chocolate and ice cream, and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips, arrange the edges of the bowl with a cloth or paper towel and cook, uncovered, for one minute to 90 seconds.
Let cool for one to two minutes, then enjoy straight from the bowl, with a scoop or two of ice cream on top.
PENNE WITH SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS
(Serves 3-4)
8
He takes: 24 minutes
YOU NEED:
200g penne
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
250ml of water
400g canned tomatoes
60g pitted green olives
2 peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
300-400g sausages, chopped with a fork
Handful of basil or parsley leaves, torn or chopped
Salt, to taste
Grated Parmesan, to garnish
METHOD: Combine the penne, olive oil, garlic, pepper flakes, oregano, water and tomatoes in a large bowl and mix well.
Add the olives, peppers and sausages on top.
Cover and cook for 24 minutes, stirring every eight minutes.
Add the basil at the end of cooking, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt to taste (for me it usually doesn’t need it).
Decorate with a little grated parmesan.
COCONUT CURRY FISH PIE MIX
(Serves 4)
8
He takes: 20 minutes
YOU NEED:
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2½ cm fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated
½ grated or chopped onion
4 crushed cardamom pods
1 finger of pepper, divided in half
1 small tomato, grated (and skin discarded)
½ stalk of lemongrass, cut in half lengthwise and crushed with a sharp object (optional)
A few fresh curry leaves or lemon leaves, torn, or a handful of dried curry leaves (optional)
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
400g canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
500g new potatoes, washed and cut in half
A large handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
300-350g fish pie mix
Salt, to taste
1 lemon, quartered
METHOD: Mix the olive oil, ginger and onion in a large bowl and cook, covered, for four minutes, stirring halfway through.
Add the cardamom, chilli pepper, tomato, lemongrass and curry leaves or lime (if using), stir, cover and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Add the curry powder, coconut milk, fish sauce and potatoes, cover again and cook for 12 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Remove five or six pieces of potato from the liquid and mash them in a separate bowl, then add the mash back into the curry and stir well (this will help thicken and bind the sauce together).
Add most of the coriander and fish pie mixture and stir well. Cover and cook for two to three minutes until the fish is poached.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed.
Serve with the remaining cilantro on top and lemon wedges on the side. Serve with rice or parathas.
CHICKEN ORZO ‘BILL CLINTON’
(Serves 4)
8
He takes: 25 minutes
YOU NEED:
200g of orzo
400ml of water
40g of butter
1 crumbled stock cube (any kind, but chicken makes the most sense)
½ teaspoon each dried sage, marjoram, rosemary, thyme and pepper
¼ teaspoon of salt
1 chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 chicken thigh fillets
A few sprigs of chopped parsley (optional)
METHOD: Mix all ingredients except the chicken and parsley in a large bowl and place the chicken on top of the pasta.
Cover and cook for 25 minutes. Stir before serving and garnish with chopped parsley (if using).
HOT CHICKEN SANDWICH WITH MAYO YOGURT
(Serves 2)
8
He takes: 6 minutes
YOU NEED:
For the sauce:
½ tablespoon cayenne pepper or similar chili powder
1 teaspoon corn flour
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic granules
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon of honey
For the chicken:
4 skinless chicken thigh fillets
1½ tablespoons Greek yogurt
1½ tablespoons mayonnaise
2 hamburger buns or 4 thick slices of lightly toasted white bread
6 iceberg lettuce leaves
6-8 cucumber slices
A large handful of salt and vinegar potato chips, crushed
METHOD: Combine all sauce ingredients in a large bowl and stir well, ensuring there are no cornmeal clumps.
Toss the chicken into the seasoning mixture, cover loosely, and cook for six minutes, stirring the chicken twice during cooking.
Meanwhile, mix the yogurt and mayonnaise and spread some on the bottom of the hamburger buns or bread.
Place a few iceberg lettuce leaves on top of the buns, then place the cooked chicken on top of the lettuce, including the sauce from the bowl.
Top with the cucumbers, fries and remaining yogurt mayonnaise, followed by the remaining bread/bread.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
