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Jamie's top 3 microwave tricks

Who doesn’t love a shortcut? And the microwave is king when it comes to cooking cheats. Jamie shares his favourite hacks, and – bonus – they can help you save on your energy bills, too!

  1. Speedy fluffy pancakes

    For a weekend treat, you can’t beat a beautiful pancake. Jamie’s one-cup pancakes are a particular favourite – and did you know there's an even quicker way to cook them? Make up a batch of the batter and cut out squares of greaseproof paper. Dollop 2 ladles of the batter onto the greaseproof, top with another and gently pat down. Repeat until you have a stack of four, then microwave on full whack for 2 minutes. Voilà! Light, fluffy pancakes, ready for your topping of choice – yum!

  2. Quick-cook butternut squash

    One of Jamie's favourite cooking hacks is to bake a whole butternut squash in the oven for 1 hour 20 minutes, then use the sweet, soft squash in soups, stews, rice dishes, chillis, salads… The choices are endless. But there's an easier, cheaper way to cook it. Make 5-6 slits in 1 whole butternut squash and simply microwave on high for 12-14 minutes until soft. Then use this super-versatile veg to boost your lunch or dinner.

  3. Super-easy fish dish

    You don’t need to fire up the oven to enjoy beautifully soft, flaky fish. Just follow Jamie’s microwave hack. Pop a salmon fillet in a shallow bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, cover with some wet greaseproof paper, then cook on medium-high for 3½ minutes. Perfect if you’re cooking for one – and a quick, easy way of getting more fish into your weekly meals.