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18
Cooking
GETTING THE BEST
COOKING RESULTS
To get the best results from your
microwave oven, read and follow the
guidelines below.
• Storage Temperature: Foods
taken from the freezer or refrigera-
tor take longer to cook than the
same foods at room temperature.
The time for recipes in this book is
based on the normal storage tem-
perature of the food.
• Size: Small pieces of food cook
faster than large ones, pieces simi-
lar in size and shape cook more
evenly. For even cooking, reduce
the power when cooking large
pieces of food.
• Natural Moisture: Very moist
foods cook more evenly because
microwave energy is attracted to
water molecules.
• Stir foods such as casseroles and
vegetables from the outside to the
center to distribute the heat evenly
and speed cooking. Constant stir-
ring is not necessary.
• Turn over foods like pork chops,
baking potatoes, roasts, or whole
cauliflower halfway through the
cooking time to expose all sides
equally to microwave energy.
• Place delicate areas of foods, such
as asparagus tips, toward the cen-
ter of the dish.
• Arrange unevenly shaped foods,
such as chicken pieces or salmon
steaks, with the thicker, meatier
parts toward the outside of the
dish.
• Shield, with small pieces of alu-
minum foil, parts of food that may
cook quickly, such as wing tips and
leg ends of poultry.
• Let It Stand: After you remove the
food from the microwave, cover
food with foil or casserole lid and let
it stand to finish cooking in the cen-
ter and avoid overcooking the outer
edges. The length of standing time
depends on the density and sur-
face area of the food.
• Wrapping in waxed paper or
paper towel: Sandwiches and
many other foods containing pre-
baked bread should be wrapped
prior to microwaving to prevent dry-
ing out.
FISH AND SHELLFISH
Cooking Fish and Shellfish:
General Directions
• Prepare the fish for cooking.
- Completely defrost the fish or
shellfish.
- Arrange unevenly shaped pieces
with thicker parts toward the out-
side of the dish. Arrange shellfish
in a single layer for even cooking.
- The type of cover you use
depends on how you cook.
Poached fish needs a micro-
wavable lid or vented plastic
wrap.
- Baked fish, coated fish, or fish in
sauce needs to be covered light-
ly with waxed paper to keep the
coating crisp and sauce from get-
ting watery.
-Always set the shortest cooking
time. Fish is done when it turns
opaque and the thickest part
begins to flake. Shellfish is done
when the shell turns from pink to
red and the flesh is opaque and
firm.
• The Fish and Shellfish Cooking
Table below provides specific direc-
tions with Power Level and Cooking
Time settings for most types of fish
and shellfish.
FISH AND SHELLFISH COOKING TABLE
FISH
Fish fillets
Fish steaks
Whole fish
Scallops
Shrimp, shelled
POWER LEVEL
HI
HI
7
HI
HI
COOKING TIME
3
1
⁄2-4
1
⁄2 minutes
4
1
⁄2-5
1
⁄2 minutes
4
1
⁄2-6 minutes
3
1
⁄2-5 minutes
3
1
⁄2-5 minutes
DIRECTIONS
Arrange fish in a single layer with thickest portion
toward outside edge of 1
1
⁄2 quart microwavable
baking dish. Brush with melted butter and season,
if desired. Cook covered with vented plastic wrap.
Let stand covered 2 minutes. If you are cooking
more than 1 lb. of fish, turn the fish halfway
through cooking.
Arrange in a single layer. Prepare as directed
above, except stir instead of turning the shellfish.