Microwaved Vegetables - Recipes by Trevor Hopkins

I rather like to cook fresh and frozen vegetables in the microwave. Here's my preferred approach. Vegetables such as asparagus, peas (particularly mange tout), carrots (whole baby, or sliced) and baby sweetcorn seem to work best when done like this.

Choose a wide flat microwave-safe dish that can be taken directly to the table. Wash the vegetables and distribute in the dish. Add just enough water to cover the bottom a couple of millimetres deep. Add a little salt.

In another age, I would have added a knob of butter to the dish at this point. These days, I prefer to use a splash of a good-quality olive oil instead. If you can, add a sprig of a herb such as rosemary or mint - I like to grow these in pots in the garden.

Cover the dish with microwave-safe clingfilm, and pierce in a couple of places. Microwave on full power for a "few" minutes, depending on how well-cooked you like your veg! Somewhere between 4 and 6 minutes is usually enough.

Remove and discard the clingfilm, drain most of the remaining liquid and serve in the dish they were cooked in.