Email to Cat      

Omelet for One

Source of Recipe

From "Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys" by Lucinda Quinn


Recipe Introduction

"One of the most important things I learned at my first cooking job was how to make an omelet. I was taught to use a well-seasoned pan with a long handle, to cook over the proper heat and to constantly shake the pan, and to whisk the eggs with a fork — just enough to incorporate enough raw egg into the rapidly solidifying cooked egg - without scraping through to the bottom of the pan. To this day, I use my 8-inch classic French Bon Chef heavy aluminum omelet pan, which I purchased in 1976. If you're a novice at omelets, you might prefer an 8-inch pan made of stainless steel with a nonstick finish, sloping sides, a flat bottom, and a long handle. Once you get the method down, the whole process from whisking the eggs to folding the omelet onto the plate shouldn't take more than 5 minutes."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 3 large eggs
â—¦ 2 teaspoons water
â—¦ Large pinch of coarse salt
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons unsalted butter
â—¦ Filling of choice, such as grated or shredded cheese, herbs, chopped vegetables, sliced cooked bacon, or diced ham


Recipe

Whisk together the eggs, water, and salt. Heat a well-seasoned (or nonstick) 8-inch skillet over high heat, about 30 seconds.

Add the butter. It should bubble but not smoke and burn. (If it does burn, wipe out the butter and start over.) Swirl the butter around the pan and immediately pour in the eggs. When the eggs begin to turn opaque around the edges, use a heatproof plastic spatula to pull the cooked eggs away from the sides of the pan. Swirl the pan to fill in the opening with the uncooked eggs. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Repeat swirling until the omelet's underside is set all around and the top is still slightly undercooked. Starting from the middle, place any filling in the omelet.

Ready a plate, warmed in a low oven or under hot water. Fold one third of the omelet over the filling, away from the handle side of the pan. Using a spatula, loosen the bottom of the omelet. Holding the pan with your palm under the handle, slide the unfolded edge onto the plate. As it slides off the edge of the pan, use the edge of the pan to help flip the â…” folded portion over the unfolded â…“ portion on the plate. You'll form a roll with the seam on the bottom. Serve immediately.

Makes one 8-inch omelet