MIRIAM’S HACKS

They aren’t just for reheating leftovers – try these easy cooking tips

Get more from your microwave with Miriam Nice’s top tips

One of the first cookery books I was ever given was a kids’ microwave cookbook, so for me, the microwave represents my independence in the kitchen. I still remember my sense of pure pride bringing out a carefully made dish of microwaved gammon and pineapple rings or a canned tuna bake topped with crisps. I was probably about 10. Then, when our kitchen was being gutted, the only thing we had was a microwave plugged in under the armchair in the living room. I found it great fun to climb underneath the chair, armed with an oven glove, to retrieve a homemade sausage casserole amid the chaos and tarpaulin. Here are my tips for getting the best from yours, but if you want to find out which microwave is for you, head to page 111 for our review of the best on the market.