The FastDay Forum

Here's the recipe

200g caster sugar
3 whole eggs
250ml fresh lemon juice
zest of 3 lemons
100g unsalted butter, melted



In a large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth and thoroughly combined. Whisk in lemon juice, lemon zest and butter

Cook in the microwave on full power for one minute intervals, stirring after each minute. This process will take about 3-5 minutes depending on the strength of your microwave. You will know the lemon curd is done cooking when it coats the back of a metal spoon

Let it cool down at room temperature, put some cling film directly on the curd, put in the fridge to thicken overnight. The next day, put it in a jar.

Keeps for 3 weeks in the fridge (I even put some to freeze)

Brilliant thanks, will have a go tomorrow night, its past my bedtime here

@SianS,
That sounds like a great idea, I'm intrigued, did you buy the vegetable pots especially for the microwave and do they have lids?

I don't use my microwave to cook vegetables, I use it mainly for reheating forgotten cups of coffee, it's good for making cheese sauce too (hubby likes it on nearly everything he eats). I have to cook two different dinners most days as he's a meat eater and I'm not, so some of the dishes get cold while I'm cooking something else, it's easy to warm the food up at the last minute in the microwave.

Hi Coffeetime, I just use small dessert / cereal bowls and cover with cling film for my veggie pots. And I hear you about forgotten cups of coffee! I've started making mine in an insulated travel mug (which I've just realised I've left upstairs)

I think I'm going to use the microwave more after reading through this thread. A lot of the meals that I cook just for me would be suitable to cook in one pot, perhaps bigger than a cereal bowl for a whole meal though. Thanks for the idea SianS.

I do the same with my vegs, cooking them in water makes them soggy and tasteless, like that they are still a bit crunchy, don't lose their color in the cooking water and taste great. On fast days I put them in a dish, a chicken breast on top, lemon juice and herbes all over, cover with cling film, microwave for 3:30 to 4:00 depending of how thick the breast is and voilà, the meal is ready with no fat, perfect for a fast meal.

The meat doesn't have a beautiful brown color but is tasty and moist

Hi John

I am also trying to stay away from microwave dinners. they are convenient if you are under time pressure which I tend to be at lunch time. Other than that I use it to defrost meat (I am so unorganised), and of course to heat milk etc.

I would not like to be without mine, but I do not use it to cook actual meals. I am old fashioned that way and cook the family meals from scratch.

I would not be without my microwave for all sorts of things, but a big favourite is my vegetable pots. I got the idea from the expensive ones you can buy in supermarkets with the veggies cut up small and arranged in layer. It means each one of us can have their own preferred veg.
Last night my pot had shredded leeks, sugar snap peas, sliced mushroom, baby corn and asparagus tips, all cut up quite small, and seasoned with salt and pepper with a drizzle of olive oil over the top. 2min 40 sec on medium and it was done, OH had his own pot with some broccoli on top and Son had one with just Leeks and carrots.
The vegetables steam in their own juices and you can get a lovely selection on your plate without using lots of pans and taking up space on the hob.

Great idea - I'm going to try that. It would be a good addition to the Reluctant Cooks thread but I have no idea how to get it there!

Me neither shachat

@Betsygr8 did it! Right clicking is involved (I'm mostly on a tablet here!).

Looking forward to trying the veggie pot tomorrow with my gammon steak. I can tell it's a fast day by the drooling intensity of my planning for the following day's meals!