{"id":2329,"date":"2022-10-13T22:25:10","date_gmt":"2022-10-13T22:25:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.otago.ac.nz\/thehockenblog\/?p=2329"},"modified":"2022-10-13T22:25:10","modified_gmt":"2022-10-13T22:25:10","slug":"stirring-up-the-stacks-11-gourmet-food-in-minutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.otago.ac.nz\/thehockenblog\/stirring-up-the-stacks-11-gourmet-food-in-minutes\/","title":{"rendered":"Stirring up the stacks #11: Gourmet food in minutes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Post cooked up by Emma Scott, Collections Assistant \u2013 Publications<\/p>\n

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My Hocken colleagues are sick of hearing about my love for the air fryer. My air fryer has been moved out of the cupboard and has a permanent home on the kitchen bench. This move is significant as it could have easily been banished to the bottom cupboard with the toastie pie maker and the fondue set. The other appliance in my kitchen on full display is the humble microwave. Like most households, my microwave is used for two things: defrosting and reheating. While it is out of the cupboard due to the two vital functions it performs, I know that I am not realising the microwave\u2019s full potential. It is time to dust off the instruction manual and put my microwave to the test.<\/p>\n

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This poor little microwave has no idea what\u2019s coming\u2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to Te Ara the first microwave ovens appeared in New Zealand in the early 1970s but did not become common until the early 1980s when cookbooks started to include microwave recipes.[1] Growing up in the 90s I remember microwave cookbooks in almost every home I visited. My Mum regularly cooked two recipes in the microwave: custard and chocolate self-saucing pudding (both of which were delicious). The most exciting part about cooking food in the microwave is how little time it takes. For busy families or for people like myself who prefer browsing Netflix to staring at the stove top, the microwave certainly appeals.<\/p>\n

Helen Leach states in her book Kitchens: the New Zealand Kitchen in the 20th<\/sup> Century <\/em>that microwaves weren\u2019t well received overseas. The weight of the early microwaves, the servicing costs and the fears people had about being exposed to radiation were some of the reasons for their lack of popularity. Helen states on page 241 that:<\/p>\n

“…few New Zealanders understood the physics behind microwave ovens. They did not understand the difference between the more potent ionising radiation (as in x-rays and gamma rays) and non-ionising radiation (as in radio waves, microwaves, infra-red and invisible light). Some people confused heat \u2013producing microwave radiation with radioactivity.”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It is very understandable that people would be fearful about using the microwave. How would you know the difference between ionising and non-ionising radiation unless you remembered being taught about it, had an interest in science, or worked in a field which required that kind of knowledge? Despite some of the public\u2019s misgivings, by the end of 1983, 1 in 10 New Zealand homes had a microwave oven. ([2], p.242)<\/p>\n

The Hocken Library has a significant collection of microwave cookbooks dated from 1979 to 1995, except for one which is dated 2005. I found several recipes I wanted to try from the cookbooks in our collection. I must admit that I am a little apprehensive about how appetising these recipes will be, having turned a crispy golden Jimmy\u2019s pie into a soggy mess using a microwave in the past. I chose a recipe for scrambled eggs just purely out of interest and planned a \u201cgourmet\u201d dinner for myself and my partner using Chef Mike.<\/p>\n

Recipe number one from: <\/u>Alison Holst\u2019s Microwave Book<\/u><\/em> [3]<\/p>\n

Scrambled Eggs<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Melt a teaspoon of butter in a suitable shallow dish.<\/em><\/li>\n
  2. Break an egg into it. Add 1-2 tablespoons milk and beat with a fork until mixed<\/em><\/li>\n
  3. Microwave on high for about 20 seconds, until the egg is partly set, then stir with the fork. Add a little chopped parsley or chives if desired.<\/em><\/li>\n
  4. Microwave again on high for about 20 seconds long. Stir gently again. Egg will continue cooking as it stands.<\/em><\/li>\n
  5. If it is not firm enough after a minute, microwave again for a short time.<\/em><\/li>\n
  6. Use medium or defrost and longer times if preferred or if white and yolk have not been completely mixed. \"\"<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I love scrambled eggs! This recipe pleasantly surprised me. I shouldn\u2019t have doubted Alison. The eggs were too wet after step four, so I had to zap them for a few more minutes. The texture of the eggs was more like an omelette than scrambled eggs, but with a good stir and some seasoning it wasn\u2019t too bad. A solid 3 out of 5 stars.<\/p>\n

    For our gourmet dinner I decided to create a menu. Making Coq Au Vin appealed to me as several famous chefs have a recipe for Coq Au Vin including Julia Child, Jamie Oliver, Jacques Pepin, and Mary Berry. I\u2019m sure Julia Child would be turning in her grave watching me zap this chicken in the microwave though. I chose the \u201cSticky Rice with Coconut Cream\u201d for dessert as I just love rice pudding.<\/p>\n

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    Recipe no. 2 (main course) from: <\/u>Microwaving Main Meals and Desserts: the New Zealand Way<\/u><\/em> by Sheryl Brownlee.<\/u> [4]<\/p>\n

    Coq Au Vin<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

    4 rashers of bacon<\/em><\/p>\n

    50g flour<\/em><\/p>\n

    125 ml water<\/em><\/p>\n

    125ml dry red wine<\/em><\/p>\n

    2-3 Tbsp brandy (optional)<\/em><\/p>\n

    2 Tbsp fresh parsley<\/em><\/p>\n

    1 bay leaf<\/em><\/p>\n

    1 large onion cut into rings<\/em><\/p>\n

    1 tsp of garlic powder<\/em><\/p>\n

    1 tsp of chicken stock powder<\/em><\/p>\n

    1 tsp ground black pepper<\/em><\/p>\n

    250g mushrooms sliced<\/em><\/p>\n

    1.5 kg chicken pieces<\/em><\/p>\n