Best-ever banoffee, family fish pie and other super-simple recipes that can all be made in the microwave in minutes

MARCO PIERRE WHITE created a stir by saying it is time haters “take off the blinkers” over microwaves.

The chef and restaurateur said we should embrace the cooking appliance.

But many other well-known culinary whizzes disagree.

Gordon Ramsay loathes them and Nigella Lawson can’t even pronounce their name.

But who is right?

Ping! by Justine Pattison is full of super-simple recipes that can all be made in the microwave in a matter of minutes.

And cooking this way can save you time, money and energy without compromising on the taste of your meals.

Justine said: “Microwave cooking was very popular in the Eighties, when the ovens first started being sold in large numbers.

“They gave rise to the huge increase in chilled ready meals sold in every supermarket.

“But over the years, we have forgotten that microwave energy can also be used to cook fantastic dishes from scratch.

“The microwave method is for everyone – whether you are looking for the convenience of a quick, home-cooked meal, are trying to save on energy costs by using your traditional oven and hob less or are new to cooking.”

Here, Natasha Harding shares five recipes from the book.

• Edited extract taken from Ping!: Cook, Bake, Create Using Just Your Microwave by Justine Pattison (HQ, £20) out now. Text: ©Justine Pattison. Images: ©Kate Whitaker

EASY MEATBALLS (Serves 4 – ready in less than 20 minutes)

THIS recipe uses ready-made meatballs and a jar of sauce to keep it super-speedy.

You could also make it with 12 larger meatballs – just cut them in half before tossing with the paprika.

You could serve it piled into warmed rolls or wraps and topped with lots of grated cheese.

YOU NEED:

• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp sunflower, vegetable or olive oil
• 24 mini beef meatballs (around 400g)
• ½ tsp ground paprika
• 340g jar tomato pasta sauce
• ¼ to ½ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)

METHOD: Mix the onion with the oil in a shallow microwaveable dish (the meatballs will need to be in a single layer when they cook, so make sure the dish has a wide base).

Toss the meatballs with the paprika in a bowl and scatter on top of the onion.

Cover and cook on high for five minutes (1,000W), six minutes, ten seconds (800W), or until the onion is softened and the meatballs are cooked.

Pour the sauce over the meatballs and onion, add the chilli, if using, and toss lightly.

Cover and cook on high for five minutes (1,000W) or six minutes, ten seconds (800W), stirring halfway.

Leave to stand for five minutes before serving. This resting stage will make the meatballs more tender.

Add seasoning to taste and serve with pasta.

PIZZA CHICKEN (Serves 1 – ready in less than 10 minutes)

PROBABLY the fastest and most succulent chicken you will ever taste!

I’ve written the recipe for one, but you could double, triple or quadruple the quantities – so long as you cook them one at a time.

Serve hot or cold.

YOU NEED:

• 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast (around 175g)
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• Good pinch dried oregano or dried Italian herbs
• 15g ready-grated mozzarella and Cheddar, or Cheddar, coarsely grated
• Extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil, to serve (optional)

METHOD: Place the chicken breast on a board between two sheets of non-stick baking paper.

Use the base of a saucepan to beat the chicken, starting at the thickest end, until it is around 1.5cm all over.

Prick all the way around the edges of the breast.

Place the chicken on a microwaveable plate and season with salt and ground black pepper.

Spread the purée on the chicken, sprinkle with the herbs, top with the cheese.

Finish with a little more of the herbs and a grinding of black pepper.

Cover with a microwave lid or upturned microwaveable bowl and cook on high for two minutes (1,000W), or two minutes, 30 seconds (800W).

Leave to stand for a minute, then cook on high for a minute (1,000W), one minute, ten seconds (800W), or until chicken is cooked through and the cheese has melted. (If using a digital food thermometer to check chicken, it should read more than 75C.)

Leave to stand, covered, for five minutes. Discard any cooking juices that have collected under the chicken.

Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with fresh basil, if using, to serve.

BEST EVER BANOFFEE PIE

THIS is not just my best banoffee pie, but the easiest, too.

Making the caramel in the microwave rather than boiling the condensed milk in the can for hours is so much quicker and simpler.

Serves 12 – ready in under 25 minutes, plus chilling

YOU NEED:

For the base and sides

• 85g butter, cubed
• 250g dark chocolate digestive biscuits
• For the filling
• 115g butter, cubed
• 115g soft dark brown sugar
• 397g can sweetened condensed milk

For the topping

• 4 medium bananas
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 300ml double cream, lightly whipped
• 32g flaked chocolate bar or equivalent, roughly broken

METHOD: Line a 20cm-23cm tart tin with sloping sides or quiche dish with two layers of cling film, leaving some overhanging to help lift the pie out afterwards.

If using a ceramic dish that you are happy to serve the pie from, there is no need to line the dish, just grease with a little sunflower oil.

To make the base, put the butter into a medium microwaveable bowl, cover and cook on high for 30 seconds (1,000W), 40 seconds (800W), or until melted.

Put the biscuits in a strong plastic food bag and bash into fine crumbs with the bottom of a saucepan (or blitz to crumbs in a food processor).

Add to the bowl with the melted butter and mix well.

Press the buttered crumbs firmly into the base and sides of the tin or dish with the back of a spoon until evenly covered, flattening the edge with your fingers.

Put in the freezer for 30 minutes.

To make the filling, put the butter, sugar and condensed milk into a large microwaveable bowl (it will need to be large enough for the caramel to rise as it boils).

Cook on high for four minutes (1,000W,) or five minutes (800W), stirring every minute.

The caramel is ready when it has turned a creamy caramel brown and is fairly thick. Do not allow to overcook.

Taking care, as the bowl will be hot, pour the caramel carefully on to the biscuit base.

Cool for 15 minutes, then freeze for one hour.

Before serving, slice the bananas and toss with the lemon juice.

Use the cling film to gently lift the pie out of the tin or dish and carefully transfer it on to a serving plate.

Scatter the bananas over the caramel, top with the whipped cream and sprinkle with the chocolate to finish.

SO-SIMPLE MUSHROOM SOUP (Serves 2– ready in less than 12 minutes)

A GREAT way to use up any sort of mushrooms when they are on offer, or when you have a few knocking around in your fridge.

It is incredibly quick and easy – and particularly delicious with a little added cream, though it is lovely without, too.

YOU NEED:

• 250g fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 25g butter, cubed
• 1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 100ml hot vegetable stock (made with ½ stock cube)
• 100ml milk (ideally whole milk)
• 2-3 tbsp single or double cream, or crème fraiche, plus extra to serve (optional)
• Freshly chopped parsley or chives to serve (optional).

METHOD: Put the mushrooms and butter in a large microwaveable bowl and season with salt and ground black pepper.

Cover and cook on high for four minutes (1,000W), or five minutes (800W), stirring halfway.

Stir in the garlic and flour, cover and cook on high for 30 seconds (1,000W), or 40 seconds (800W).

Stir in the stock and milk, cover and cook on high for two minutes (1,000W), or two minutes, 30 seconds (800W), or until hot.

Add the cream or crème fraiche, if using, and blitz with a stick blender until smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Serve with a drizzle more cream, a sprinkling of fresh herbs, if you like, and lots of warm crusty bread.

FAMILY FISH PIE (Serves 4–5 – ready in less than 30 minutes)

MAKING fish pie from scratch in the microwave saves a whole lot of bother, especially if you use frozen mashed potatoes jazzed up with a splash of cream.

The key to making it quickly is to cook the mash while you are preparing the other ingredients.

YOU NEED:

• 350ml milk
• 480g mixed skinless fish, including smoked haddock, white fish, such as cod, and salmon, cut into roughly 3cm chunks
• 25g butter, cubed
• 25g plain flour
• 2 heaped tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley or dill
• Finely grated zest of ½ small lemon
• 4 tbsp double cream
• 50g baby spinach leaves
• For the topping
• 650g frozen mashed potatoes
• 4 tbsp double cream

METHOD: To make the topping, scatter the frozen mashed potatoes into a wide-based microwaveable dish.

Cover and cook on high for eight minutes (1,000W), ten minutes (800W), or until hot, stirring halfway.

Beat the cream into the mash and set aside.

Put the milk in a large microwaveable dish. Add the fish and stir lightly. Cover and cook on high for four minutes (1,000W), or five minutes (800W).

Drain the fish in a colander over a large microwaveable bowl, reserving the milk. Once drained, scatter the fish into a 1.5-litre, shallow microwaveable pie dish.

Whisk the butter, flour, parsley or dill, lemon zest and double cream into the warm milk.

Cover and cook on high for two minutes (1,000W), two minutes, 30 seconds (800W), or until beginning to thicken, whisking halfway.

Whisk the sauce, then season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the spinach.

Cover and cook on high for two minutes (1,000W), two minutes, 30 seconds (800W), or until the spinach wilts and the sauce is thick.

Pour the sauce over the fish and stir gently. Spoon the mashed potato on top of the fish and spread evenly.

Cook uncovered on high for four minutes (1,000W), five minutes (800W), or until the potato is hot.

Turn the dish halfway through the cooking time if your microwave does not have a turntable.