Choose Cooking Fruits Carefully

With the exception of berries, summer and fall fruits microwave superbly. Most brim with just-picked flavor and look garden-fresh: bright and plump with rich fruity bouquet. Still, you must time and tend fruits carefully in the microwave oven if you’re to be successful.

You must also choose varieties that are “naturals”--apricots, peaches, pears, plums or other firm fruits that can withstand several minutes’ worth of microwave bombardment without collapsing.

The problem with berries, cherries and other soft-pulp fruits is that they’re so fragile and full of juice they’re reduced to mush in seconds. (But this does make them dandy candidates for dessert sauces.)

The best pears to poach are Bartlett, Bosc, Anjou or Seckel. Leftover poaching syrup can be used to macerate any fresh fruits.

POACHED PEARS CARDINAL

4 large firm-ripe pears (about 1 3/4 pounds)

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup dry white or red wine

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cardinal Sauce

Carefully core pears from bottom, leaving stems intact. Peel and roll in 2 tablespoons lemon juice to prevent darkening.

Combine remaining tablespoon lemon juice, sugar, wine and vanilla in microwave-safe, lidded (8 or 9-inch round, 2-inch deep) casserole. Cover with wax paper and microwave on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes, until mixture boils and sugar dissolves, stirring at half time.

Stir again and arrange pears on their sides in casserole, spoke-fashion and not touching, with stems toward center. Cover with casserole lid and microwave on HIGH 6 to 8 minutes until tender-crisp. At half time, turn pears over and rotate casserole 180 degrees. Don’t overcook as pears will continue cooking as they cool.

Cool pears to room temperature in poaching syrup in covered casserole, turning occasionally. Chill well. To serve, stand pears in individual goblets. Drizzle each with small amount Cardinal Sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Cardinal Sauce

2 cups sieved, pureed fresh raspberries

1/3 cup sugar, about

1 tablespoon cornstarch blended with 2 tablespoons cold water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons kirsch

Mix raspberry puree and sugar in microwave-safe 6-cup measure. Cover with wax paper and microwave on HIGH 3 minutes. Whisk in cornstarch mixture and lemon juice. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH (100% power) 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until sauce boils and thickens slightly. Stir in kirsch. Cool to room temperature. Add more sugar if needed or thin if too thick with little water. Makes 2 cups.

STEWED APRICOTS OR PLUMS

1 1/2 pounds firm-ripe apricots or plums (do not peel or pit)

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup hot water

1 teaspoon finely grated orange or lemon zest

Pierce each apricot or plum in 2 to 3 places and arrange in microwave-safe, 1 1/2-quart (9-inch round) lidded casserole. Mix in sugar and hot water. Cover and microwave on HIGH 4 to 5 minutes, rearranging fruit and turning over at half time.

When fruits are barely tender, let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Remove from microwave. Stir in orange zest and cool fruit completely in syrup. Makes 4 servings.

POACHED PEACHES

4 firm-ripe peaches

Lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup hot water

1/4 cup fruit liqueur, brandy, rum, Port or Madeira

Peel, pit and halve peaches. Dip in lemon juice and arrange in single layer in microwave-safe, lidded, 2-quart casserole. Mix in sugar, hot water and fruit liqueur. Cover and microwave on HIGH 3 to 3 1/2 minutes, rearranging fruit and turning over after 2 minutes.

When peaches are barely tender, let stand, covered, 1 minute. Remove from microwave and cool peaches completely in syrup. Makes 4 servings.

Note: In ovens of less than 600 Watts, increase cooking times about 15%.