I am soooo close to having a finished first draft of my manuscript, it's driving me to distraction. I'm halfway through re-reading it for obvious errors before sending it out to my beta-readers* and because the finish line is so tantalizingly near, I've been rushing through every other task in my life to use every spare minute to edit. That includes making breakfast--there has been no vanilla french toast with praline bacon in the home for awhile now (although that does sound good), instead I've been relying on bananas, granola, and quick egg dishes. But nobody can eat scrambled eggs every day--it's not good for the humors. So to offer variety - and an easy way to eat up tiny bits of leftovers - the Breakfast Gods invented omelettes.
Omelettes are beaten eggs that have been cooked in a flat round shape, sprinkled with filling, and folded over--sort of like a crepe, only with just eggs. They're popular in lots of restaurants, and the style can range from half-a-plate-of-thick-eggy-awesomeness to thin-as-tissue-paper-deliciousness. There's really no wrong way to go, it depends on your preferences. I, however, like to do omelettes the way Julia Child did them: fast, hot, thin, and marvelous. I'll walk you through how I do it, but if you're a visual person you may want to watch the Mistress in action--the most important part is the actual cooking technique, which only takes about 20 seconds.
I usually only make a one-egg omelette, and I only shake enough to keep it from sticking, I let it fold over as I slide it out of the pan. The most important details are a) hot pan, b) enough fat/oil, c) thin egg mixture. And here's how it looks:
Z.D. Makes an Omelette
Ingredients:
1 large egg
1-2 teaspoons milk
1-2 teaspoons butter (or schmaltz, or canola oil**)
kosher salt
filling of choice (in this case, tomatoes, cheddar, and green onions)
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| The perfect way to use up those last few cherry tomatoes, and that tiny nibble of cheese. |
Directions:
- Crack the egg into a cup or bowl, and add the milk. Beat the egg enough to blend it, so there's no major lumps of white remaining, but not so much that it becomes frothy.
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| That's the level of incorporation you're looking for. |
- In a small skillet over high heat, melt the butter, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. As soon as it's fully melted, quickly beat a pinch of kosher salt into the eggs, then pour the eggs into the pan.
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| This is no time to be stingy with the grease, even in a non-stick pan! |
- Let the eggs sizzle just a second, then begin shaking the pan, keeping the bottom flat on the burner. This is to help the eggs cook evenly, and prevent them from sticking to the skillet. The short cooking time keeps the eggs very, very tender!
- The moment before the eggs are 100% cooked, sprinkle on your toppings. Then slide the omelette out of the pan onto a plate, slowly, and use the edge of the pan to flip the top part over.
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| Only takes a handful of filling |
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| Ain't that purty? |
And voila, as Julia would say! You have a handsome, delicious omelette, and the whole thing should have taken you under a minute to make. If you want a more American look, you can go for the half-moon omelette, as follows.
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| Your other option is to sprinkle the filling all over... |
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| And then flip in half. This lovely omelette is served with Dorie Greenspan's Maple Cornmeal Drop Biscuits, which are pretty darn quick and easy. |
Now chow down, bus your plate, and get back to writing...!
*That's a fancy way of saying "friends who are willing to read the whole darn thing and give brutally honest feedback."
**This pan is too hot for olive oil, it will burn, smoke, and be yucky. Coconut oil or shortening wil work Ok.
