Perfect fish, fast - microwave cooking of fish - includes recipes - Special Issue: Quick, Light & Healthy

Sunset, Summer, 1997 by Linda Lau Anusasananan

CONSIDER YOUR MICROWAVE OVEN FOR THAT NEXT FILLET

We all have our own microwave cooking horror stories: gray meat, limp vegetables, awful mashed potatoes. Maybe that's why many of us turn to this appliance only for reheating. But that's a mistake. Fish is one food that the microwave oven actually cooks better, faster, and neater than its conventional counterpart.

Calling the microwave an oven has been the source of much confusion. Instead of heating from the outside in, as a conventional oven does, a microwave heats internally. Household electricity converted to high-frequency microwaves excites the moisture and fat molecules in food; the resulting vibrations create friction that produces internal heat. Therefore, what you cook and how you cook is quite different in the microwave oven. A little knowledge should help you produce great results with your next piece of lingcod or salmon.

Why does fish steam so well in a microwave oven?

Fish benefits from quick, moist cooking. Its tender tissues don't need extended braising to break down the fibers. The moisture in fish helps the microwaves generate rapid heat inside. The enclosed heat and moisture create steam to gently cook the fish in a fraction of the time it would take with regular steaming or baking.

Why does fish sometimes take so long to cook?

You may be overloading your oven. The rate at which a microwave oven cooks relates to how much food it must heat. Whether you steam two or six fish steaks over simmering water, the cooking time is about the same. Not so in a microwave oven. The motto of microwave cooking is "more mass, more time." Also remember to rotate fish to achieve even results for large quantities.

How do you cook fish in a microwave oven so it is moist and evenly cooked?

Pieces that are evenly thick cook most successfully in the microwave oven. For slim pieces such as sole, turn under the thin edges, overlap skinny parts, or roll fillets up to even the thickness. If you don't, the fish edges will be dry and tough.

Chunks of fish thicker than 1 inch tend to absorb the microwaves unevenly. Allowing the food to stand briefly after microwaving allows the heat to equalize.

Another effective solution is to butterfly the thick slab, then spread it open to make a thin, wide piece. Heat will enter the slender piece more evenly. Cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap and cook just until barely opaque in the thickest part.

Microwave-steamed Bass with Ginger

SERVES 2

Prep and cook time: About 7 minutes

Notes: To make fine shreds of orange peel, remove strips with a peeler, then use a knife to cut into shreds. Or use a tool designed to cut shreds of zest.

1 piece (about 1/2 lb.) Chilean seabass fillet (about 1 1/2 in. thick) 1 tablespoon orange juice 2 teaspoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon finely shredded fresh ginger 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel Fresh cilantro sprigs Orange wedges

1. Cut fillet into 2 equal strips, each about 1 inch wide. To butterfly fish, cut down center of each strip lengthwise almost all the way through, then open out flat to make evenly thick.

2. Set fish on a 9- to 10-inch microwave-safe plate and drizzle evenly with orange juice and soy. Sprinkle ginger and orange peel over fish. Cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap.

3. Place fish in a microwave oven and cook at full power (100%) until fish is slightly translucent but still moist in thickest part (cut to test), 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with cilantro; squeeze orange wedges over fish to taste.

Per serving: 118 cal., 18% (21 cal.) from fat; 21 g protein; 2.3 g fat (0.6 g sat.); 1.6 g carbo (0 g fiber); 421 mg sodium; 47 mg chol.

Microwave-steamed Sole with Capers

SERVES 2

Prep and cook time: About 5 minutes

1/2 pound sole fillets 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel 1/2 teaspoon drained capers 1/4 teaspoon hot chili flakes Lemon wedges Salt and pepper

1. Rinse fish and pat dry. On a 9- to 10-inch microwave-safe plate, place fish in a single layer, overlapping thin edges. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with chives, lemon peel, capers, and chili flakes.

2. Cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap and cook in a microwave oven at full power (100%) until slightly translucent but still moist in thickest part (cut to test), 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add lemon, salt, and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 106 cal., 12% (13 cal.) from fat; 21 g protein; 1.4 g fat (0.3 g sat.); 0.5 g carbo (0.1 g fiber); 124 mg sodium; 54 mg chol.

Microwave-steamed Trout with Salsa

SERVES 1

Prep and cook time: About 5 minutes

Notes: Use thawed frozen, canned, or fresh-cooked corn.

1 cleaned, boned whole trout (1/2 lb.), head removed 1 firm-ripe tomato (6 oz.), cored and diced 1 tomatillo (1 1/2 oz.), husk removed, cored and diced 1/2 cup corn kernels 1 green onion, ends removed, thinly sliced 1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced fresh hot chili Salt and pepper Lime wedges

1. Rinse trout and pat dry. Lay fish open, skin down, on a 9- to 10-inch microwave-safe plate. Cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap and cook in a microwave oven at full power (100%) until fish is slightly translucent but still moist in thickest part (cut to test), 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes.