En-18
Microwave cooking tips
To soften butter for easy spreading on
removal from the fridge
Soften for 35-40 seconds on (for 150g).
Remove any foil beforehand.
Swelling dried fruit
Add 4 tablespoons of water to 200 g of raisins
or prunes, (they can be swollen with rum for
cakes). Stir and heat on 1000 W for 2 to 3 min-
utes. Allow to stand for 30 minutes.
Restoring cheese to room temperature
Cheese removed from the refrigerator must be
placed in the oven and "warmed" for 30
seconds -1 minute (depending on the size of
the cheese) at 250 W.
Blanching almonds or hazelnuts
Cover with hot water and cook for 3-6 minutes
on 1000 W (return to boil). Cool, drain and the
skin is then easy to remove.
Drying herbs
Place absorbent paper on the glass turntable.
Carefully spread out the finely chopped, fresh
herbs on the paper. Repeat several times if
necessary. Heat on 1000 W for a few minutes,
checking them every 30 seconds until the
herbs begin to dry. Extreme care must be taken
to ensure that the herbs do not remain in the
oven too long; otherwise, they will
disintegrate, and possibly catch fire. Leave the
herbs on the absorbent paper for a further 2
hours at room temperature, then store in
air-tight containers.
Making caramel
Cook 100 g of sugar with 2 tablespoons of
water in a bowl for 2-3 minutes on 1000 W,
checking halfway-through cooking time.
Remove caramel before it becomes darkened
since it will continue to cook outside. You can
stop the cooking with 2 tablespoons of very hot
water (beware of sharp edges).
Liquifying hardened honey
Remove the lid to the pot, place in oven and
heat on 250 W for 30-50 seconds, depending
on the quantity. Stir and repeat if necessary.
Croutons in minutes
Cut two slices of white bread into small cubes.
Spread out these cubes on a plate. Heat on
1000 W for 2 minutes then allow to stand for 5
minutes. You can rub a clove of garlic on the
slices of bread before cutting them or drizzle
with a few drops of olive oil.
How to obtain more juice from an orange or
a lemon
Before squeezing, place orange or lemon in
microwave for 30-40 seconds on 1000 W, then
squeeze immediately; this will produce more
juice.
Melting butter
100 g of butter in a ramekin dish covered with a
saucer will melt in around 1 minute at 600 W.
Melting chocolate
Break 100 g chocolate into little pieces into a
bowl and heat at 600 W for 2-2
1
/2 minutes (the
time may vary depending on the cocoa and
sugar content). Stir at least once during
cooking.
Leaving dough to prove
Place the covered dough in the oven and heat
for around 5 minutes on (for 500 g of
dough). Leave the dough in the oven (away
from air currents) until it has doubled in volume.
Making mulled wine
In an ovenproof glass (or mug), mix together 20
CL of red wine, the zest of a lemon, a pinch of
cinnamon, one clove and 2-4 teaspoons of
sugar according to taste. Heat on 1000 W for
1-1
1
/2 minutes.
"Deodorise" your oven
To rid your oven of that "fishy" smell, place a
bowl of white wine vinegar or water with the
juice of a lemon inside the oven. Heat on 1000
W for 5 minutes. Wipe off the steam that
collects on the oven walls.
Preparing a hot compress
Heat a clean, damp, folded cloth on a plate for
1-2 minutes on 1000 W. Check temperature
before applying the cloth.
