Gourmet Cooking the Microwave Way

Colleen Kakoschke was a Toronto business analyst.

This book contains a good collection of basic recipes that have been specifically adapted to microwave cooking. The title is somewhat misleading in that the quality of the food prepared from the over 200 recipes is not truly gourmet. For example, some of the recipes call for canned ingredients, something that would be anathema to a gourmet cook.

The recipes are organized into the traditional categories (appetizers, soups, sauces, vegetables, pasta and rice, fish and seafood, meats, poultry, etc.). Each page contains a different recipe, with some pages conveniently allowing room for notes near the bottom. For the most part, the instructions are clear and easy to understand. All measurements are in metric as well as imperial. Most recipes can be prepared in under 20 minutes. Although the book is illustrated with a few sketches, there are no color illustrations of the finished product, so a little imagination is required in preparing the final touches.

The recipes that this reviewer attempted all turned out fine, though the suggested cooking times were somewhat underestimated. (This variable can be adjusted after some experience with each particular oven.) The micro-tips found at the end of the book provide unique and helpful suggestions (e.g., clarifying butter, roasting nuts, drying herbs, and cooking pasta). There is also a chapter on micro-convection for those readers who have a convection oven or a combination microwave and convection oven.

The authors, who live in Montreal, are both consultants in the field of microwave cooking. They have produced a handy little book containing a wide selection of quick and easy recipes for the beginner to the intermediate cook.