You have already decided on the Christmas menu? The countdown seems to have begun a while ago and certainly among the activities of this period there is, besides the search for the perfect gift, also that of the ideal recipe to bring to the table on December 25th to amaze all the guests.

One thing is certain, when technology comes to the rescue everything becomes easier. A valid ally can undoubtedly be the microwave. Companies like Whirlpool who have long experience in the sector, with innovative tools that harmoniously mix avant-garde design and innovative technology really help the kitchen. Thus cooking times can be halved, allowing everyone, especially on festive occasions, to still enjoy the good times with loved ones, without closing in the kitchen for days.

Prepare a whole menu with a microwave oven it is really possible and on the subject it gives us some precious suggestions chef Roberto Valbuzzi of the Crotto Valtellina Restaurant in Malnate and known face, among others, of the TV transmission Courtesies for Guests. Valbuzzi, for Whirlpool has designed a series of sweet and savory dishes to be prepared using microwave ovens Supreme Chef and Extra Space, practical and fast tools also for making party dishes. Thanks to his creativity, the Christmas menu by chef Valbuzzi, includes a surprising Pumpkin Velouté with olive crumble, a delicious rustic cake with aubergines, mozzarella and pecorino cheese and a salmon fillet served with crunchy vegetables and a yogurt and pomegranate sauce . Among the desserts, a delicious almond cake with citrus gel, mulled wine pears, toasted hazelnuts and chocolate chips and 3 chocolate cookies with raspberry ice cream and a sponge cake cream and persimmon.

The recipes

Pumpkin velouté with olive crumble
INGREDIENTS:
• 500 grams of pumpkin
• 1 clove of garlic
• 200 grams of chestnuts
• a few sprigs of thyme
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
For the crumble:
• 200 gr pitted green olives
• salt

METHOD:
– Chop all the ingredients.
– Place the mixture in the private griddle steamer and start cooking.
– At the end, blend all the steamed ingredients. The microwave must be used at a power of 750 W for a duration of 15/18 minutes.
– To make the dough even creamier, we recommend adding water.

Almond cake with citrus gel
INGREDIENTS:
• 100 gr almond flour
• 250 gr of 00 flour
• 1 vanilla stick
• 150 gr of cane sugar
• 3 eggs
• 125 gr butter
• 1 tablespoon of bitter cocoa
• milk to taste
• 1 pinch of salt
• for citrus gel
• 300 ml of citrus juice
• 15 gr of cornstarch

METHOD:
– Prepare the citrus gel in the private steamer of the grill, mixing all the ingredients and
starting them to cooking.
– Melt the butter in a small bowl for about 1 minute, power 750W.
– Mix all the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.
– Pour the mixture into the Crisp cake pan with a high rim and cook for about 8 minutes.

Useful tools

Supreme Chef
The Supreme Chef microwave is the special product by Whirlpool able to grill, cook and fry perfectly every type of dish. In practice it combines three different heat sources – double emission of the MWO with the grill function and the Crisp Plate – to guarantee soft foods inside and crunchy on the outside. Thanks to Crisp Fry technology it gathers food making it light and without the need to add oil, thanks to the combined action of Crisp and Forced Air, the fan that spreads heat and simulates the cooking of a traditional oven. It also cooks with steam and thanks to the humidity sensor of the 6th sense technology, which makes the use of the microwave oven even more intuitive, it is ideal for healthier and lighter preparations. And if you have forgotten to defrost the bread, the Bread Defrost function, which joins the Jet Defrost, makes the operation even easier by ensuring an excellent result.

Extra Space
The Extra Space microwave has an elegant and refined look, its main feature is the net capacity of 25 liters but with useful internal space equal to a 30L microwave. It does not have the turntable which makes the corners of the oven much more usable, which are usually not used. The special AutoCook function allows you to create different combinations with 9 preset recipes. Immediately afterwards, the AutoClean function allows you to clean the inside of the oven by sinking and quickly dissolve the food residues with the natural force of the steam. A microwave designed specifically to cook several courses simultaneously and to meet the needs of those who want to prepare a real menu.

editorial board
November 2019

DISCOVER THE COURSES OF THE SALT AND PEPE COOKING SCHOOL