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Recipes involving no kitchen

11 replies

Deeedeeee · 11/08/2015 15:28

Moving into our new house/building site. I have no kitchen yet. I do have a microwave and a slow cooker though, and running water. Help me get through the next few months without relying on ready-meals!

Nobody in my house is vegetarian, or particularly fussy.

OP posts:
artisanroast · 11/08/2015 15:36

What about a Lekue microwave steamer from Amazon?

Cheap, easy and healthy meals all steamed in the microwave ????

Deeedeeee · 11/08/2015 15:42

Genius, thanks artisanroast. Will look into that.

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guzzlewump · 11/08/2015 16:04

I love my microwave - cook all my veg in it and it's much better than having them boiled in a pan.

Cakes can be made in a microwave in a cup which are great and instant (well, 3 minutes or so) - I think there are some recipes on mumsnet or I have a cheap mug cake book. There's also a meal in a mug in a microwave book that I wasn't able to get but if you could might inspire!

'Poached' eggs are good - small ramekin dish, well buttered. Break in an egg, prick the yolk so it doesn't explode and put in on medium for 30 seconds. Take out, check, give a little swirl around and then back in for another 20-30 seconds on medium (depends on your microwave, size of egg, egg temperature etc, but you can quickly figure out what's right for your microwave).

Pasta can be done but takes longer. But you could put pasta into boiling water, put a lid on and leave it, wrap a towel around it, top up boiling water occasionally and it will be ok - just need time!

Ds's favourite pasta sauce is a spoon of pesto, squirt of garlic purée, a few drops of lemon juice and double cream. Mixed up, pop in the microwave for 1-2 minutes (depending on quantity). And that's it - just stir in pasta. Add chopped ham //smoked salmon/etc if required. And / or olives, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped mushroom, etc etc as you fancy.

It's a great base for a microwave pasta sauce - swap in different flavoured pesos, garlic or tomato purée, gentleman's relish, etc, splash of sherry or wine or vodka, as inspiration, leftovers and the deli counter dictate Grin

Deeedeeee · 11/08/2015 16:19

Thanks guzzlewump. Realise I've only really used the microwave for reheating forgotton cups of tea!

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SonceyD0g · 11/08/2015 16:21

When we didn't have a kitchen for 4 months due to building work. Our 2 ring camping stove was a lifesaver! Totally portable too and no plug required!

whois · 11/08/2015 17:34

If you have a slow cooker I would probably stick to doing lots of soups, stews, bolagnaise, chili, tagines etc and then cooking the rice/pasta/potatoes in the microwave. Couscous is great since you just add boiling water.

You can poach fish in the microwave really well, veg cooks great especially frozen veg. Cubed potato for mashed potato works best in the microwave I think.

Google microwave cooking and there will be lots of recipes. Quite a few on BBC food and good food like this.
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1243/microwave-jambalaya

Lakeland has little plastic microwave saucepans which are great for heating things up in the microwave in.

I think I would probably end up using my camping stove rather than just sticking to microwave and slow cooker.

annielostit · 11/08/2015 17:48

Pasta, noodles & rice can be microwaved. To serve with slow cooker stuff.
I would batch cook large meat ragu and add extra for 1-2 days by day 3 its chilli.iyswim.
An airfryer might be a good investment?

Dancingqueen17 · 11/08/2015 18:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

stevienickstophat · 11/08/2015 19:23

I'm living with this at the moment.

I've invested in a slow cooker, a tiered electric steamer and a George Forman grill. Along with the microwave and the occasional barbecue, we're eating really well.

One favourite is a half leg of lamb, shoved in the slow cooker with two tins of tomatoes, courgettes, peppers, red onions, new potatoes, and whatever herbs you fancy - basil, rosemary, oregano. Season and leave until the lamb is falling off the bone. Serve with crusty bread if wanted.

Chicken breasts stuffed with grated mozzarella and rubbed with tomato and paprika paste are great done on the George Formby Foreman. We serve them with salad and microwave jacket potatoes (the McCain ones are really nice).

Salmon steaks can be steamed in the bottom of the electric steamer while your veg steams above it.

Those Tilda rice pouches that go in the microwave are great.

I poach eggs in half a cup of water in the microwave. Takes about a minute and a half.

Bolognese is good in the microwave, but I've not managed to find a way to do decent pasta, so we have it with jacket potatoes and green beans.

Chillis and curries can be done in the slow cooker.

I've had to overcome my food snobbery a bit (with the McCain spuds and the occasional micro-chips Blush ) but it really is turning out to be quite easy. I think we've eaten fewer ready meals than when I had an Aga!

Good luck!

Deeedeeee · 12/08/2015 12:27

Thanks everyone. Got a camping stove somewhere and also remembered a strange camping pasta cooking tube thingy I might dig out...

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swillows · 12/08/2015 16:45

We are having our kitchen done at the moment and our neighbours have lent us what I can only describe as an electric stock pot. It's a big pot that you plug in and there is an element that goes into the base of the pot - there is a dial on the element housing that lets you adjust the temperature. It has been an absolute god-send. I get on with it much better than the slow cooker. It's like cooking on top of a hob and, because it is so big, it's great for making batches of casseroles, curries etc so that you don't need to keep cooking in your non-existent kitchen every night.

Been looking to buy one myself - the closest I can find is this but nowhere seems to stock it :-(

amazing stockpot link

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