Microwave cooking apparatus

An integrated cooking vessel adapted to provide controlled thermal and microwave cooking of food contained therein upon irradiation with microwave radiation, which comprises:

• a microwave-absorbing heating element having an upper surface and a lower surface, and capable of being heated rapidly to high temperatures upon irradiation with microwave radiation;
• a heat-insulating and microwave-transparent body located beneath the lower surface of said heating element for supporting said element and limiting the downward conduction of heat therefrom;
• a heat-insulating and microwave-transparent container having a lower base portion and a sidewall portion, said heat-insulating supporting body being positioned on said base portion, said heating element being supported in spaced relationship above said base portion by said supporting body, and said container sidewall portion extending upwardly from said base portion to surround said heating element and said supporting body and terminating in a container rim at the height of the upper surface of said heating element;
• flat, heat-resistant food-supporting plate means for covering said container attached to the rim portion thereof, said plate means contacting the upper surface of said heating element for enhancing the upward conduction of heat therefrom;
• an electrical insulating member positioned around said container above the rim portion thereof and extending above the level of said flat metallic food-supporting plate means;
• and
• a container cover, removably positioned on said electrical insulating member in spaced relationship above said metallic food-supporting plate means, said cover having selected microwave-transparent portions and selected microwave-opaque portions to permit a desired degree of microwave radiation to reach the food being cooked and to establish a desired relationship between the degree of thermal cooking and microwave cooking thereof.