Sophistication and delight in good food are on the increase, yet many people feel too time-pressed to prepare the dishes they love. So it's surprising that even though most of us have microwave ovens, we use them so little. Of course, we rely on them to warm coffee, thaw chicken, melt butter and chocolate, steam a vegetable or two, and reheat leftovers. But what has been forgotten along the way is that the microwave provides unsurpassed speed for cooking everything from soup to potatoes to risotto.

The problem may be that preparing food in the microwave is perceived as not really cooking; people seem to feel it's cheating. But don't fall for that - it is cooking. The microwave is just as good a way of applying heat as any other.

Speed is only one of its virtues. The microwave is also perfect for those who are watching their fat intake - since microwave cooking doesn't require fat, any used in a recipe is needed only to add flavor. Using the microwave also saves on dirty pots and preparation time because it often allows you to cook all parts of a dish at the same time.