Microwave Magic and Me

Dec 15, 2007 | From the kitchen of Rose

Kate Coldrick’s enlightening postings on the heat treatment of flour on this blog and on her own: www.amerrierworld.wordpress.com/may be responsible single-handed for a tidal wave increase in microwave sales around the world!

But it grieves me to think that people will be using their new microwaves only for flour! So I’ve decided to put together a short list to get you started on other great uses for the microwave.

First some background history.

There has been and may still exist some degree of snobbery when it comes to microwaves that sounds something like this: “Oh I would NEVER have a microwave in MY kitchen.” I suspect this attitude stems from the incorrect use of microwaves such as cooking bacon which granted rids it of fat but also toughens it.

I started experimenting with microwave cooking as a student at NYU using a microwave oven that dated back to WWII. It was my assignment to put it through its paces and in the process prepare a dinner for professor Pfaff who had one of those enviable metabolisms that required her to eat substantially well everyday or she would lose weight. No one knew much about microwave cooking at the time and there was much to learn, the main thing being that it was great for some things but to be avoided for others.

A few years later, when Elizabeth Alston was food editor at Redbook magazine, she invited me to do a freelance story on microwaves. I declined at first, stating that food magazines usually wanted articles about ingredients or piece of equipment that went from soup to nuts and I didn’t like the microwave for everything. But Elizabeth valued my approach and said: “I want you to do only what you think works well in it.” In the process of developing recipes for this story the microwave won me over to such a degree I decided to open a cooking school to share these discoveries with others. I called Mimi Sheridan who was writing up NY cooking schools for the New York Times and was reproached severely for contemplating such an endeavor especially as I was married to a radiologist (still am!). Mimi asked me how I could consider such a dangerous form of cooking and said that the New York Times would NEVER stand behind it. I explained the principles of microwave and how radiology dealt with radiation which was a different part of the spectrum from microwaves which fell under the radar or radio wave spectrum. To no avail.

In the end, I am grateful to Mimi because had I specialized in microwave cooking it would have been limiting and I might never have gone the direction of The Cake Bible! And Barbara Kafka ultimately proved Mimi partially wrong by writing a regular column on microwaving for the New York Times. The other part was when she recommended doing deep fat cooking in it, causing several explosions and lawsuits. This is all past history, however. But before I enter the present I must report that I ultimately went on to teach microwave cooking for two semesters at NYU and continued to learn more about it’s valuable potential. And when I went to London to revise The Cake Bible, I had the pleasure of meeting one of the UK’s top chefs, Michael Aldridge, who was chef at the Connaught Hotel and is now chef for the Chunnel which traverses the Atlantic between England and France. Chef Aldridge had been in pre-med before he decided to change course and become a chef. At some point in our conversation I hesitatingly brought up one of my favorite uses for microwaves and to my astonishment and delight he said “I have one in this kitchen and I use it for the same purpose!” It was to concentrate fruit juices. Using the microwave prevents the slight browning or carmelization of the sugars in the juices and keeps the purity of the fruit’s flavor. I knew I had met a kindred spirit.

Once you start using a microwave and understanding its principles you will find yourself applying them to all sorts of out-of-the box techniques that go far beyond boiling water or defrosting. And Kate’s technique of heat treating unbleached flour to help it to gelatinize and mimic the characteristics of bleached flour where it is not available is such an example.

Pointers to keep in mind:
* Food continues cooking after microwaving is finished so undercook slightly.
* For vegetables always add a little water to keep them from drying and microwave covered,
* If using plastic wrap to cover the food be sure to lay back a little of it to allow steam to escape.
* Salt the food after microwaving or the salt granules attract the microwaves and cause burn spots.
* Rule of them for vegetables: 7 minutes per pound. Example, for broccoli, I slice the stem end into 1/4 inch thick rounds and spread it on the bottom of a microwave-proof container. Then I place concentric circles of florets on top.
* Microwaves are attracted to fat so for softening butter or buttercreams, melting chocolate or softening ganache, start with 3 to 5 second bursts.
I always use the microwave to heat heavy cream for ganache, as it brings the cream to the boiling point without danger of burning it at the bottom and there’s no need to stir.
* When caramel hardens prematurely I zap it for a few seconds in the microwave and it’s restored to perfect fluid consistency without a mess.
* When reheating turkey breast, use a paper towel (I use the unbleached variety marked “for the microwave”), dampen it and wrap it around the turkey breast. This helps to keep it moist.
* I love to reheat steak or thick slices of roast beef. One minute on high in my microwave heats it without continuing to cook it so it remains as rare as when I first cooked it.
* Keep in mind that microwaves vary in power and power usage in your area so always err on the less is more side until you learn the machinenality (as opposed to personality) of your particular model!
http://amerrierworld.wordpress.com/

Hector
03/30/2008 12:59 AM

I've just posted this in another thread, but maybe it is worth posting here again:

I need to report that I just had the most wonderful cookies baked in the microwave!!!!!!!!

I had one scrap of sweet coconut cookie tart crust, stored frozen according to the recommendations in The Pie and Pastry Bible (form a ball, flatten into a disc, freeze airtight).

I placed this, still frozen, on a ceramic microwave safe plate, and popped it for 1.5 minutes. It cooked all the way, was very fluffy, and it even browned into a beautiful but oddly shaped cookie.

Poured some Cordon Rose Strawberry Conserve, and that was my dessert tonight!

Hector
03/30/2008 12:53 AM

Rose
01/04/2008 10:35 PM

just rememebered someone once told me they inverted a pan that fit over the coils without touching them so that they could then put the cast iron pan on top of that! put i must say that steam devise with lid really works well.

Hector
01/04/2008 12:37 PM

I always worry to shock/damage the coils or oven floor with ice cubes.

I feel safer by placing a cast iron stove top grill pan on the bottom rack, and throw the ice on it. The rack where the bread bakes on, together with the stone, is on a higher rack. I find inexpensive cast iron pans at several discount stores, expect this 'ice-pan' to rust and become unusable for its original purpose.

I "think" it is also safe to place the cast iron pan on top of the oven floor that does not have heating elements exposed. Cast iron does not change temperature fast even when having ice cubes sizzling on it. The oven floor may warp with time though as it is retaining so much heat and was not designed to have something on it.

Not experienced with your thermal convection oven with vents under. How about placing more ice cubes, enough to hold a 10 minute sauna in the oven that vents out?

A pan with water is not enough moisture in my opinion. You need the sizzling ice cubes which generate more vapor, and the cast iron surface is pretty much the only kind of material that remains hot the longest, hot enough to sizzle ice.

I get best results without ice, that is with a cast iron dutch oven with lid. It gives me the best oven spring. Lots about this on this blog.

Rose
01/04/2008 10:25 AM

don't put anything directly on the coils. your very best bet is to use the steamer described on the blog. do a search on the left and i'm sure you'll find it easily. it really makes a difference.

Margarete Bernstein
01/04/2008 07:54 AM

Hi,
My son just received the bread bible as a gift and is very excited about baking bread. We have a thermal convection oven that has a vent and exposed coils on the bottom. He is worried about the loss of moisture from the vent in the first ten minutes of baking. In addition, he is wondering if it is possible to put a pan of ice onto the heating coils to create steam or is it supposed to be placed on a rack underneath the rack where the bread is placed. Also, if we are using a baking stone then there would be no room for a pan of steam in our oven underneath the rack with the stone. Can you please advise us of the best method to use in our situation? Thank you.

Hector
12/16/2007 07:35 PM

Great compromise! You can have self standing gas appliances running on portable propane tanks which lasts months. I guess? Hmm, I wonder if adding wide range hoods is against building code? You need the hood when using gas! Don't quote me as I don't want your board to get me in trouble!

There is a 'strange' law on building code in Hawaii. Most homes are rated 'single family' household, thus you can only have 'one' kitchen. However the definition of kitchen is to have 3 major appliances (fridge, stove, sink). If you have only 2 major appliances, it is only considered a wet bar, and you can have wet bars on every room of the house. I've seen homes with sinks and refrigerators in each room, or sinks and stoves in each room! The refrigerator is hauled to the garage when the inspector shows up, and 'you can' have plenty refrigerators there!

Bill
12/16/2007 12:40 PM

Hector, Hector, Hector...you always bring a smile to my face. I wanted to extend the kitchen into the living room...just 2 feet...it would have made a world of difference. The condo board wouldn't allow it...the gas pipe for the oven runs through that wall...and although my contractor said she could do it...the building management wouldn't allow it. I cut a window from the kitchen through to the living room..it is over the stove...so now as I cook I have a beautiful view of the River out my living room window...but no real increased space.

Hector
12/16/2007 12:36 PM

Lola. The rather big ones, Sharp brand, microwave/convection countertop ovens are great for baking up to two 9" layers one on top of another. It is what Rose has used for years, specially while Cake Bibling.

I believe now Rose has a KitchenAid built in microwave convection oven.

I would not use these for bread baking though which requires a rather higher temperature.

Hector
12/16/2007 12:32 PM

Bill, thanks for sharing. I am always willing to knock down the living room to 'extend' my kitchen. And if that isn't enough, I would knock down the bedroom too. In fact, a bed can be used as a dining table, a la Oriente!

Bill
12/16/2007 07:01 AM

I found this piece really interesting. When I renovated my kitchen I got rid of the microwave...and I really miss it! I have, however, adapted and have made my choices (alas...here I go again...complaining about my tiny kitchen)...Since I use my food processer and stand mixer constantly, and since I have such limited counter and cabinet space, I have a brand new kitchen...with top of the line range and refrigerator, marble counter tops, maple cabinets but with no dishwasher and no microwave. I figure if my grandmother could turn out the fabulous meals that she did with no dishwasher and no microwave...so could I. (But I really miss the microwave and dishwasher...lol)

Jeanne
12/16/2007 06:32 AM

I have a combination baking/convection microwave, and honestly I haven't baked in it. It's small inside so I think all I could get in it would be a 9" cake pan or a small pan for brownies. So I don't use it for that reason.

But the speedcook option (the convection) is fantastic and helps me get dinner on the table faster than if I used the regular oven. I can cook just about anything in it, but usually it's hamburgers (no having to use the grill on a snowy day!), or chicken parts, or pork tenderloins, fish... I can do the main part of dinner in the microwave and then the sides on the stovetop.

Lola LB
12/16/2007 06:07 AM

We're looking into getting a new microwave to replace the one that died. We figured that if we're getting a new one, we might as well get one that also does convection cooking. Can one do good baking with convection ovens? And what brands are worth looking into?

Hector
12/15/2007 08:04 PM

Thank you for sharing this topic, I sense it will stir households. It is an indispensable tool, mine's is small and fits under the cabinet. There is really no reason to have a BIG microwave. And, YES, perhaps the biggest factor one needs to train on is to test the power.

I use it for:

- reheating caramel, as Rose writes. There is just no better way.

- softening frozen mouseline buttercream.

- softening frozen butter.

- partially thawing all sort of block-frozen ingredients, enough to separate them apart and not thawing it.

- quickly becoming a favorite way to melt chocolate.

I agree, that Kates Flour is singled-lly the most recent breakthrough for microwave use

Kelsey
12/15/2007 07:49 PM

Just a note, Kate's website is amerrierworld.wordpress.com

Anna
12/15/2007 07:11 PM

I successfully made a custard pie filling ALL in the microwave and I tried it just for fun. It thickened quicker than on the stove and best of all: one bowl to clean. Made me a believer! But just like with a food processor, you CAN ruin food if you don't operate the machine in the right way. Takes practice and knowing your machine.

Emilie
12/15/2007 05:17 PM

I have started leaning away from microwave cooking except for the purpose of reheating lunches at work. My reasoning behind this stems from one time I put my tea in the microwave to reheat it, and the color changed from a very vibrant pink to a dull brown. I realized that the microwaves had degraded some of the sensitive "color" molecules. So, I began thinking about what other molecules might be sensitive to microwaves.

I did a quick search for scientific articles and came across one from Spain published in the European Food Research Technology journal that examines the effect of cooking on broccoli. (Vallejo. Eur Food Res Tech. 2002, 215:310-316) They found that cooking broccoli in the microwave reduced the vitamin C content by 40% and reduced the amount of glucosinolates by 74%! In contrast, steaming had minimal effect on the nutritional content of the broccoli.

I have heard others quote articles that state that microwave cooking can reduce the number of antioxidants in food dramatically (90%). But I do not have a resource handy.

This was enough to encourage me to wash that extra pot every night instead of microwaving my vegetables.

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Welcome to Real Baking with Rose, the personal blog of author Rose Levy Beranbaum.

Spend A Moment with Rose, in this video portrait by Ben Fink.

Heavenly Cake Bake Along

Hector's Take on Rose's Cakes

Microwave Magic and Me