It pops corn perfectly. Zaps a cup of cold coffee. Nukes the kids’ oatmeal. But guess what?
That hunk of electronics hogging counter space in 80 percent to 90 percent of America’s kitchens is being used for cooking. Not just zapping and nuking.
The microwave oven, once heralded as the future, then relegated to handling Orville Redenbacher, has found new audiences.
A survey from Corning Consumer Product Co., makers of Corningware, shows that microwave oven use is up more than 20 percent. And many of its fans are almost too young to cook.
Teenagers love the microwave. Surveys show that as many as 90 percent of youngsters ages 12 to 18 cook in the microwave. They like it because it’s quick, requires little cleanup and takes little know-how. Young adults, who never learned to cook like their mothers, also turn to the microwave for its convenience.
Not everyone, though, is convinced that more cooking is going on in the microwave; we may be using them more, but what we’re doing may not be cooking in the true sense of the word.
“Most of our research indicates people are using microwaves for reheating, defrosting and doing vegetables,” says Jean E. Kozar, editor of “Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook” (MacMillan, $25). “They are reheating a lot of takeout food from delis and supermarkets, which have microwave directions.”
The Crocker cookbook, though, includes microwave directions for about 10 percent of its 950 recipes, and offers a section on microwave-cooking tips.
From microwave manufacturers to cookbook authors, it’s acknowledged that the microwave isn’t perfect. It doesn’t cook some things well at all. So, that said, focus on what it does cook well, say people such as Victoria Wise, co-author of one of several new microwave cookbooks.
“We don’t offer recipes for foods that simply do not turn out well,” Wise and her co-author, Susanna Hoffman, write in “The Well-Filled Microwave Cookbook” (Workman, $14.95). “We include recipes for dishes that we judge to be superior. Some foods, in fact, fare better in the microwave than by conventional cooking methods.”
The authors’ idea: Use the microwave to supplement your regular stovetop cooking.
“It’s easier to clean up, and much quicker for lots of things. And if it’s not quicker,” says Wise, some of whose recipes require 30 minutes of microwave cooking, “the cleanup is easier. I just put a dish in the microwave, press a button and have it turn itself off.”
It’s pretty much agreed the microwave doesn’t brown meat well, heat evenly or warm bread. But Wise says the microwave excels at:
– Vegetables. “Almost all vegetables, though there are a few we didn’t like. We never got asparagus or green beans to work well. And I don’t like how a microwave does globe artichokes, though baby artichokes, yes.”
– Seafood. “The microwave rises to the pinnacle when it comes to cooking seafood,” the authors write. “Poaching, steaming, braising–exactly the treatments that turn out fish and shellfish best–are the microwave’s forte.”
– Desserts: “What we stumbled upon and were greatly surprised when researching was desserts,” Wise says. “Once you give up the idea of cakes and cookies, and start casting about … (you find) poached fruit, jams, candies, dessert sauces.” They also had success with cakes that weren’t flour-based.
– Pickles and relishes. “The irony is the things the microwave does best–candies, pickles and jams–are old-fashioned dishes that people don’t do anymore.”
What may seem a bit odd for the zap-and-nuke user is the length of time required for some of the recipes: Although some come in at less than 10 minutes, others take 20 to 30 minutes of microwaving, with stops for turning or stirring.
And regular cooking in the microwave has its limits; it would be tough to cook for more than six or eight people because large dishes don’t fit in the microwave.
Meat never seems to fare well, though meatloaves, meatballs and small pieces of meat cook fine, and the microwave does well at stews, braising and poaching, Wise says.
The microwaves of today offer many conveniences, from programmable buttons to popcorn-only buttons, says Carolyn Verweyst, a spokeswoman for Whirlpool Corp.
And oddly enough, maybe to hold those dishes, microwaves are getting bigger.
“People don’t want that teeny little thing; they want something that will hold a dish,” she says.
STUFFED SHELLS FLORENTINE
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10-12 minutes
Standing time: 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Adapted from “The Woman’s Day Cookbook.”
24 jumbo pasta shells
2 cups 2-percent-fat cottage cheese
Whites of 2 large eggs
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1/2 cup each, grated: Parmesan, part-skim mozzarella
1/2 teaspoon each, crumbled: dried oregano, dried basil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pinch grated nutmeg, optional
2 cups meatless spaghetti sauce
1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, mix cottage cheese, egg whites, spinach, Parmesan, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella, oregano, basil, pepper and nutmeg in medium bowl.
3. Spread half of sauce over bottom of 11 1/2- by 7 3/4-inch microwave-safe baking dish. Fill each shell with scant 2 tablespoons cheese mixture and arrange in single layer in baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over shells. Cover with vented plastic wrap and microwave on high 10 to 12 minutes, rotating dish 1/4 turn 3 times, until bubbly.
4. Remove wrap. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese; let stand 5 minutes for cheese to melt.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ….. 400 Fat ….. 10 g Cholesterol .. 17 mg Sodium …. 945 mg
PORTUGUESE SHRIMP
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Adapted from “The Well-Filled Microwave Cookbook,” by Victoria Wise and Susanna Hoffman.
1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
3 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
3/4 teaspoon salt
Zest of 2 medium lemons
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 3/4 pounds large or jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
1. Mix together vermouth, tomatoes, garlic, oil, mustard, thyme and salt in bowl large enough to hold shrimp in 1 layer. Microwave, uncovered, on high until tomatoes soften, 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place lemon zest, parsley and garlic in food processor fitted with metal blade. Process until finely chopped. Set aside.
3. When tomato mixture is done, add shrimp, toss to mix. Microwave, uncovered, on high 4 minutes. Stir and continue to microwave, uncovered, on high until shrimp turn pink and firm, 2 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon mixture and serve immediately.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ….. 340 Fat …. 11 g Cholesterol .. 300 mg Sodium … 800 mg
RED BELL PEPPER SPREAD
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Yield: About 1 1/2 cups
Adapted from “The Well-Filled Microwave Cookbook.”
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 medium red bell peppers
4 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. Place pine nuts on plate; microwave, uncovered, on high, until lightly toasted, 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Place peppers in dish large enough to hold all three without touching. Cover; microwave on high, until skins loosen, 15 minutes. Remove and let stand at least 5 minutes. Longer is OK. Peel off skins, then remove stems and seeds.
3. Puree peppers with nuts, garlic, cheese, oil and salt in food processor fitted with metal blade. Use right away, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze.
Nutrition information per 1/3 cup:
Calories ….. 125 Fat …. 11 g Cholesterol .. 3 mg Sodium … 155 mg
