Phil Vickery's two-course microwave meal
With energy bills already at an all-time high and expected to rise again in October, Phil Vickery shows you how to prepare a two-course meal using your microwave - which uses less energy than an oven!
He’s making his summer risotto followed by chocolate brownies.
Spring green veg and prawn risotto
Serves 2
Ingredients
300g risotto rice
1 vegetable stock cube
1 small onion very finely chopped
1 clove of garlic very finely chopped
1 tsp dried mint or 1 small sprig chopped of fresh
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
800ml boiling water, roughly
40g or 5 medium spears of fresh asparagus, trimmed and chopped on an angle into 2cm pieces
40g frozen peas
40g frozen broad beans
20g fresh spinach
50g salted butter
200g defrosted cooked prawns
50g grated Parmesan cheese
Method
1. Place the rice, stock cube, onion, garlic, mint, salt, pepper, and oil into a microwave-safe bowl, and mix well.
2. Add a third of the boiling water and stir well.
3. Cover and pierce a couple of times.
4. Cook for 10 minutes (timings are based on an 800-watt microwave), keep an eye you may need to break the rice up at say 5-6 minutes.
5. Add another third of the boiling water, mix well and break up the rice, re-cover and cook for a further 6 minutes.
6. Stir again and add the veg and last of the water, re-cover and cook for a final 5-6 minutes, or until creamy and thick.
7. Remove once cooked and stir well, add the butter, prawns and cheese and lightly mix, re-season and cover and leave for 2-3 minutes, stir again and serve.
Brownies
Serves 4
Ingredients
60g softened salted butter
100g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium egg
30g cocoa powder
30g self-raising flour
50g chopped white chocolate
Method
1. Place the butter, sugar, and vanilla into a bowl and beat well with a wooden spoon.Add the egg and cocoa powder and mix well.
2. Finally add the flour and bring it together.
3. Spoon into a 2 x 17cm x 4cm deep oiled glass container, then spread out with a spoon.Sprinkle with the chopped white chocolate.
4. Pop one in the microwave and the other on top, straddling the first one.
5. Cook (I used 900 watts) for 2 and half minutes, the mix will rise nicely.
6. Re-check and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until puffed and cooked through.
7. Remove from the microwave, be very careful as they will be hot!
8. Leave to rest for 10 minutes, then cut and serve.