DEAR ACCIDENTAL CHEF:

I just bought a new microwave, and it came with a handy set of recipes with everything from salmon to pasta. However, it seems that every time I try to cook a meal in it, the food comes out gummy and uneven. I am interested in your opinion on microwave cooking. What works? What doesn't? - Not Too Hot for Microwave Cooking

DEAR NOT TOO HOT: First, let me say that many people swear by microwave cooking. In fact, those of us who remember the almighty 1980s are well aware of the power of cooking with radio waves. Cheese-stuffed baked potatoes, seafood casseroles, even chocolate cakes were mysteriously whipped up in half the time inside oversized faux-wood-paneled ovens. Foods could be reheated in minutes, giving TV dinners a new spin. Oven mitts fell to the wayside in favor of microwave-safe omelet makers and miniroasters. Back then, microwaves were as common as a 12-ounce can of Tab and have continued their popularity well into 2008.

Having said all this, over the years, many home cooks have discovered through trial and error that some food items just don't cook as well in a microwave as they do in an oven or on top of the stove.

For example, I have never had much success with seafood, be it shellfish, fin fish or anything shaped into little cakes (i.e., crab or salmon). Some might argue (perhaps those in the microwave-making business) that just about anything is safe to cook in a microwave. While this might be true, safe doesn't always equal tasty.

When I get a hold of a freshly caught piece of rockfish in season or $22 worth of jumbo lump crabmeat, the last place I want to cook it is in the microwave when I've got a perfectly good standard oven and an outdoor grill. When it comes to seafood and meats, microwave cooking doesn't give the same result. Because the air inside the microwave oven remains at room temperature during the cooking process (while the food itself "cooks"), there is no way for the contents to form a crust.

However, that's not to say the microwave doesn't have its place in the kitchen. I've got a nice stainless-steel one at home that I use all the time, but like with any appliance or kitchen gadget, I use it for specific purposes.

For example, I often microwave bacon, since it's faster, less messy and less greasy. Cover a microwaveable plate with several layers of paper towels and then lay down your bacon in strips side by side. Top with another paper towel and microwave on high for a couple of minutes, rotating your dish. The result is super-crispy bacon - ready to add to any sandwich, recipe or plate of eggs.

Rice is another foodstuff that tends to do as well in the microwave as it does on the stove. Use 1 cup rice to 1¾ cups water or stock in a microwaveable-safe bowl. Add a pat of butter and a little salt and pepper, if you like. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 9 minutes. Then reduce to medium-low and cook for an additional 12 minutes for perfect fluffy rice.

Another favorite of mine to make is popcorn. While microwave popcorn is far from original, I like making my own in a regular paper lunch bag. Take about 2-3 tablespoons uncooked popcorn and place in a bag with a little salt. Roll the end of the bag tightly (fold top over twice), leaving plenty of room for the corn to pop. Lay the paper bag flat and gather the popcorn toward the bottom of the bag and press flat, so it will pop more evenly. Cook on high about 2 minutes or until your kernels stop popping. Pour into a large bowl and serve as is for low-fat popcorn, or go full-on and smother in melted butter and additional salt.

Most vegetables steam well in the microwave, too, especially corn on the cob and broccoli. Also, par-baking a potato works nicely for quick-and-easy hash browns. Punch holes in the top of a whole Idaho potato and cook in the microwave for about 4 minutes. Remove and let cool. Then slice and fry in a pan with hot oil and sliced onions for true diner-style hash browns.

Though Chateaubriand might not be the best recipe for microwave cooking, there are plenty of meals and sides that can be made in significantly less time when cooking with radio waves. Experiment on your own or head out to the local thrift store and find yourself a microwave cookbook from the 1980s and see what could be cooking in your kitchen.
Kendra Bailey Morris is a Richmond-based food writer, culinary instructor and author of "White Trash Gatherings: From-Scratch Cooking for Down-Home Entertaining" (Ten Speed Press). Send ideas, tips or culinary questions to info@theaccidentalchef.net or visit www.theaccidentalchef.net.