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Instant gratification! WITH a promise of fast and nutritious cooking microwave ovens are fast replacing conventional ovens in several households. Still several homemakers hesitate to use microwave ovens for daily cooking purposes as several friends complain that their microwaves were good only for baking an occasional cake or for heating up food and thus were not being fully utilised. Cooking in microwave is quick and fuss-free if certain precautions are observed. This week we have some easy to make dishes that you can try in your microwave/convection oven. Walnut tarts Ingredients Flour 3 1/2 cups Sugar 1/2 cup Lemon rind 1 1/2 tsp Butter 180 gm Brandy 1 tbsp Water |
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Sugar 1 cups Water 1/4 cups Walnuts (chopped) 2 cups Butter 60 gm Thick cream 2/3 cup Honey 2 tbsp Brandy 1 tbsp Topping Egg yolk 1 Thick cream 1 tbsp Icing sugar 1 tbsp Method: Pre-heat oven to 230°C. Combine flour, sugar, lemon rind and butter in mixer and process till the mixture resembles fresh breadcrumbs. Add egg yolks and brandy to form a dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead lightly. Roll two-thirds of the dough into a 20 cm circle. Press into a greased 20 cm metal flan dish. Prick pastry several times with fork. Cook on high for 2 minutes and then on convection at 220°C for 5 minutes. For filling: Combine sugar and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook on high for 2-3 minutes till sugar is dissolved, stir. Cook on high for 6-8 minutes or till the mixture is a light caramel colour. Stir in walnuts, butter and cream. Mix well and cook on medium for 5 minutes. Stir in honey and brandy. Spoon filling into pastry base. Roll remaining dough into strips and arrange over filling in a criss cross pattern. Combine egg yolk and cream and brush over lattice. Cook on high for 1 minute. Choux pastry with mushrooms
Ingredients Water 1 cup Butter 40 gm Flour 1 cup Eggs 4 For filling Mushrooms 350 gm Butter 20 gm Flour 3 tbsp Chicken stock 1 cup Tomato sauce 2 tbsp Black pepper and salt |
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Method: Combine water and butter in a microwave-safe jug. Cook on high for 3 minutes or till water boils. Using a wooden spoon beat in flour. Cook on high for 3 minutes. With an electric beater beat in eggs one at a time. Beat till the mixture is smooth and shiny. Pre-heat convection oven to 230°C. Place six large spoonfuls of mixture on a greased pizza tray. Cook on convection at 200°C for 15 minutes. Cook further for a minute on 180 C. Make 2-3 cm slit horizontally in the side of each puff. Return to hot, turned off oven for 10 minutes. Place mushrooms and butter in a microwave-safe dish and cook on high for 3 minutes. Mix in flour add remaining ingredients and stir. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes or till the mixture thickens. Cut a lid off each puff and fill with mushroom filling and replace lid. Cauliflower in sauce Ingredients Cauliflower 500 gm Cheese (grated) 1/2 cup Oil 1 tbsp Garlic 1 clove Onion 1 Tomatoes 450 gm A pinch of freshly ground black pepper Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp Salt to taste Method: Clean and cut cauliflower into flowerets and put in a shallow dish. Sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and cook on high for 6-8 minutes. Make sauce by combining oil, garlic and onion. Cook on high for 2-3 minutes. Puree tomatoes and stir in these along with a pinch of dried marjoram. Cook on high for 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce over cauliflower and sprinkle cheese. Cook on high for one minute. Check seasoning and serve hot. |
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