Plain and Simple Brussels Sprouts Recipe

Brussels Sprouts Recipe

Brussels Sprouts Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4

700 g small Brussels sprout

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

30 ml melted butter

Lemon juice

Preparation method

1. Cut a slice from the base Brussels sprout and remove the tough outer leaves entirely. Nick small crosses in the base of each sprout. As this the thickest part of the sprout, it is also the slowest to cook. The crass lets in the hot water and helps the sprouts to cook evenly.

2. Soak the sprouts in cold water with a little salt for 15 minutes. Drain well.

3. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Drop the sprouts into the boiling water and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Cover the pan and continue to cook for 2 – 10 minutes, depending on their age, until the sprouts are tender but still crisp.

4. Drain the sprouts well, then return them to the pan and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the melted butter and lemon juice to taste, and toss lightly. Transfer to a heated serving dish and serve immediately.

Preparation time

25 – 40 minutes,

Plus soaking 

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Baked Potatoes in Four Flavor Recipe

How to Make Baked Potatoes in Four Flavor Recipe

Ingredients

4 large baking potatoes

Preparation method

1. Wash the potatoes thoroughly and prick the skins with a fork.

2. Cook on full power for 20 minutes, then allow to stand for 5 minutes. Test with a fork: the cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes. One potato will take 5 – 7 minutes depending on size but several will, of course, take longer.

Baked potatoes with sour cream and chives

Halve the cooked potatoes and scoop out the center into a bowl. Mix with 1 cup / 225 ml / 8 FL Oz sour cream and 2 tbsp chives. Season well with salt freshly ground pepper. Mix and replace the filling. Reheat in the microwave for 4 minutes on full power.

Baked potatoes with vegetable chili

Halve the cooked potatoes and scoop out a little of the center. Mix the potatoes with the vegetable chili, refill the potatoes and reheat for 5 minutes on full power.

Baked potato nests

Halve the cooked potatoes, scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Mix with ½ cup / 50 g/ 2 Oz grated cheese, 2 – 3 tbsp milk, salt and freshly ground pepper and 2 tsp chives. Cream the mixture together until fluffy. Fill the potatoes; make a hollow in each potato with the back of a tablespoon. Brush with melted butter. Break 1 egg for each halved potatoes into a cup and slip into the hollow. Prick the yolk with a sterilized skewer or large needle. Return four potato nest to the microwave and cook on full for 2 minutes, and stand for 2 minutes. Cook the other four half potatoes and serve with a green vegetable for a more substantial meal.

Saucy baked potatoes.

Make 1 ¼ cups / 300 ml / ½ pt cheese sauce. Chop 1 cup / 100 g/ 4oz mushroom finely and mix with the cheese sauce. Cut a thin slice from the top of each potato, scoop out some of the flesh and the squash rest of the potato in its skin. Fill with mushroom sauce, top with a slice of cheese and reheat for 5 minutes on full power.

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Piperade Recipe with eggs

Piperade of the Basque specialty without ham is easy and delicious cooked in the microwave oven.

How to make Piperade with eggs

Ingredients for piperade

Serves 4

¼ cup/50 ml/2 FL Oz vegetable oil

1 garlic clove

1 small onion, peeled and diced

2 shallots, sliced

1 sweet capsicum, deseeded

1 green capsicum, deseeded

1 bouquet garni

1 bay leaf

2 large tomatoes, skinned

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 eggs

2 tbsp / 25 g/ 1 Oz butter, cut into small pieces

How to prepare piperade

1.  Heat the vegetable oil in a browning dish. Slightly crush the garlic clove but leave it whole and add it to the dish. Cook for 30 seconds at full power in the oil.

2. Add the onions and shallots to the garlic and cook on half power for 6 minutes.

3. Prepare the capsicum by pouring boiling water over them in a bowl and leaving them to stand for 2 minutes. If preferred, prepare them the traditional way by charring under a hot grill (broiler) and then removing the flesh from the skin. Chop the capsicums very finely by hand or in a food processor, taking care not to liquidize them completely. Add them to the onion and cook on full power for a further 5 minutes with the bouquet garni and bay leaf.

4. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes, chop finely and add to the vegetable mixture. Season well and cook on full for a further 5 minutes.

5. Beat the eggs in a bowl with ¼ cup/ 5 ml/ 2 FL Oz water. Add the butter.

6. Remove the bouquet garni, bay leaf and garlic from the tomato mixture and stir in the eggs. Cook on full power for 4 minutes, remove and mix well.

7. Return to the microwave oven, cook for a further 4 minutes. Remove and stir again. If the mixture is too liquid, cook for a further 2 minutes and test after stirring now piperade is ready.

Note: Remember that the mixture thickens very quickly at this stage and the delicious, creamy eggs can toughen if microwaved for a few second for a few second too long.

To serve

Sprinkle with chopped shallots and triangles of toast. This dish can also be used to fill savory pastry shells and is particularly good as a starter.

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Cauliflower and Broccoli Cheese Recipe

How to Make Cauliflower and Broccoli Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 lb /450 g fresh broccoli, washed or
• ¾ lb /350 g/ 12 Oz frozen pack
• 1 cauliflower, washed
• 2 potatoes, peeled
• 2 ½ cups/ 600 ml/ 1 pint Béchamel (white) sauce
• 2 tbsp 25 g/ 1 Oz butter
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• ¼ cup / 50 ml/ 2 fl oz milk
• 4 slices cheese
• 1 tbsp crisp breadcrumbs

Preparation method

1. Arrange the broccoli in a round dish with the spears facing into the center and stalks out. Add 4 tsp salted water and cook on full power for 5 minutes, covered.

2. If using frozen, thaw first and only cook for 3 minutes at this stage.

3. Arrange the cauliflower florets in the same dish in a ring when the broccoli is finished and remove to a plate. Cook on full power for 5 minutes and then allow to stand for 3 minutes.

4. While the vegetables are cooking, slice the potatoes thinly, use the food processor if you have one. Make up the béchamel sauce.

5. Arrange the potatoes on the bottom of buttered deep dish. Add salt and pepper to the milk, pour over the potatoes, partially cover with a lid or with cling film (plastic wrap). Microwave full power for 5 minutes; allow longer if the potato slices are chunky. Stand for 3 minutes.

6. Arrange the broccoli spears facing into the center in a ring, alternating with the cauliflower.

7. Pour over the well-seasoned Béchamel sauce and microwave for 10 minutes on full power. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and cover with the slices of cheese. Microwave on full for 2 minutes or until the cheese has brown under the grill (broiler), if liked. Allow to stand for 2 minutes and then serve while the cheese is still soft.

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Vegetable Loaf Recipe

Make Vegetable Loaf Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 6

½ lb/ 225 g/ 8 Oz broccoli spears

2 carrots, grated

3 celery stalks, tops discarded

2 tbsp / 25 g/1 Oz butter

2 tbsp / 25 g/ 1 Oz flour

3 eggs

Salt and pepper

¼ tsp paprika

¼ tsp mustard powder

½ cup/100 g/4 Oz cottage cheese

1 cup/100 g/4 Oz grated Cheddar cheese

2 tomatoes, skinned

2 shallots, washed and trimmed

Preparation Method

1. Arrange the broccoli spears in a ring on a shallow dish with heads to the center of the dish. Sprinkle with 2 – 3 tbsp water, cover and cook for 8 minutes at full power.

2. Remove the dish, arrange the grated carrot in heaps and celery in 1 inch pieces between the stalks. Cover and cook for 5 minutes at full power, drain.

3. Melt the butter for 1 minute in a bowl at full power, then stir in the flour. Gradually beat in the eggs and season them well with salt, pepper, paprika and mustard. Beat in the cottage cheese and then the grated cheese.

4. Mix the cheese mixture with broccoli, celery and carrot. Cook on full power for 3 minutes, stir well.

5. Butter a glass loaf pan or a rectangular china terrine dish. Cover the bottom of the dish with the sliced tomatoes and chopped shallots, then arrange half the cooked mixture in the dish. Pour on the remaining mixture, cover and cook on full for 3 minutes. Turn power to half, defrost, cook for a further 6. Allow to stand for 3 minutes.

6. Test to make sure the mixture is cooked. Unmold the dish onto a heated plate and taste the dish onto a heated plate and test the bottom with a fork.

Cut into slices and serve tomato sauce and new potatoes.

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Eggs Florentine Recipe

Make Eggs Florentine Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4

Half quantity creamed spinach recipe

4 eggs

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tbsp cream

Preparation method

1. Prepare the creamed spinach. Butter four ramekin (individual chins) dishes and divide the spinach between them.

2. Make a well in the center of each dish with the back of a spoon. Break the eggs into a cup one at a time and slide each into a bed of spinach. Prick the yolks with a sterilized needle, season with salt and pepper and carefully pour the over the top.

3. Stand the dishes in a deep glass dish. Pour some boiling water around them. Cook in the microwave oven for 4 minutes at full power. Check to see if the eggs are cooked;  if not, cook for a further 1 minute or to taste.

Note. If cooking the dishes individually, check after 1 ½ minutes.

To serve Eggs Florentine

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and triangles of toast.

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