Making Converts of Conventional Oven Favorites

The two questions we’re asked more than any other are: “Can I cook my favorite recipes in a microwave oven?” and “What kinds of adjustments do I have to make?”

The answer to the first is “Maybe.” And to the second? We’ll come to that in a minute. The mistake most people make is that they try to “nuke” a beloved cake or meat loaf almost the minute they plug in their new microwave ovens.

They’re courting disaster, of course, because the microwave’s method of cooking is nothing like that of a conventional oven. The lesson here: Wait until you’re completely “at home” with your microwave oven before you try to adapt conventional recipes for it.

And now to discuss the adjustments that must be made when converting conventional recipes for microwave use.

First of all, only certain types of dishes lend themselves to adaptation: soups, stews, casseroles and recipes whose principal ingredients are such high-moisture foods as fish, fowl and vegetables.

Other recipes are more difficult: cakes, cookies, quick breads.

Needless to add, you should never try to convert recipes that microwave poorly in the first place: pastries, yeast breads, fried foods or any with crisp brown crusts.

Here, then, are the basic guidelines to follow when adapting conventional recipes for microwave use:

-- Find a microwave recipe similar to the one you want to convert that serves no more than eight persons. Read the recipe carefully, then use the method of preparation it recommends, the container size, type of covering, power level, cooking and standing times. Also rearrange foods and/or rotate the container as the recipe directs.

-- Reduce the amount of fat or oil in casseroles, soups, stews and braised dishes by about half. Use ungreased containers; microwaved foods rarely stick to the pan.

-- Reduce the liquid called for in casseroles, sauces, soups and stews by about one-fourth. Most foods microwave so fast there’s little time for the liquid to reduce or evaporate.

-- Reduce the herbs by about half, peppers and strong spices by two-thirds or even three-fourths. Microwaving intensifies all seasonings.

-- Unless the salt in a recipe is mixed with the cooking liquid, don’t add it until after the dish is done. Sprinkling salt over food before it is microwaved can cause ugly spots.

-- Cut the food in small pieces of uniform size and shape (large or irregularly shaped pieces will cook unevenly in a microwave oven).

-- Microwave any heat-sensitive foods, such as eggs and cheese, on 50% power or less. This is a good practice, too, for layered casseroles.

-- Halve the cooking time for soups, stews and other dishes containing solid chunks of food.

-- Reduce the cooking times for liquid or “soft” mixtures by one-fourth to one-third.

-- Check all recipes for doneness after the minimum cooking time, then every 30 seconds or so thereafter lest they overcook. Remember that all microwaved foods continue to cook during the standing period.

-- Whenever a conventional recipe calls for browning food, do so on top of the stove, then transfer it to the microwave to finish cooking. Or if the recipe is one that benefits from a last minute crisping or browning, microwave it, then transfer at once to a preheated broiler for a few final minutes.

This said, we now offer you an old-fashioned Boston Brown Bread that we’ve adapted for the microwave. A traditional brown bread steams for an hour, but this speedy microwave version is done in just 6 minutes. New Englanders eat brown bread with baked beans, but it’s equally delicious spread with cream cheese.

BOSTON BROWN BREAD

2/3 cup sifted flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup unsifted whole-wheat flour (not stone-ground)

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal (not stone-ground)

1/3 cup dark molasses

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup seedless raisins

Resift flour with salt, baking powder and baking soda into mixing bowl. Add wheat flour, cornmeal, molasses and buttermilk and beat with electric mixer at medium speed 30 seconds or until well blended. Stir in raisins.

Spoon half of mixture into lightly greased, microwave-safe, 1-pint measure. Cover with vented plastic wrap and microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) 5 1/2 to 6 minutes, rotating measure 180 degrees at half time, until wood pick inserted in center of bread comes out clean. (Do not use turntable as it will make loaf “mushroom” as it cooks.)

Uncover bread and let stand 5 minutes to complete cooking. Invert and ease loaf onto plate. Cool 5 minutes. Microwave remaining batter in same manner.

Slice loaves 1/2-inch thick and serve slightly warm. Makes 2 small loaves, 6 slices each.

Note: Easiest way to cut this tender bread is to use fine, strong thread in see-saw motion. Bread will firm up after day or so and can be cut more easily and thinly. In ovens of less than 600 watts, increase cooking times about 15%.

POWER LEVELS: HIGH (100%); MEDIUM-HIGH (70%); MEDIUM (50%); MEDIUM-LOW (30%); and LOW (10%).