Omelet with Herbs
Source of Recipe
From "Basic to Brilliant, Y'all" by Virginia Willis
Recipe Introduction
"While I was living and working in France for Anne Willan, we had a photo shoot for her cookbook, Cook it Right, an exhaustive tome that documents the various states of 'doneness' (and over- and underdoneness) of everything from whipped cream to braised pheasant. When it was time to shoot the proper folding of an omelet, our 'hand model,' the talented writer and editor Marah Stets, was not able to execute the business-letter fold at the angle needed by the photographer. In her defense (and yours, if you struggle), it can be tricky, which is why most omelets you see are simply in folded half. I am not even sure when the last time was that Anne had made an omelet, but she simply grabbed the skillet and spatula and, like a pro, quickly produced a perfect fold on demand."
List of Ingredients
◦ 3 large eggs
◦ Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
◦ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mixed herbs (such as flat-leaf parsley, chervil, tarragon, and chives)
◦ 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
Recipe
In a bowl, beat the eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs with a fork. Melt the butter in an 8-inch nonstick skillet. When the butter foams, add the eggs. Holding your fork flat, stir the eggs quickly while shaking the pan back and forth. Continue so the eggs set uniformly.
When the eggs are lightly set but still moist, incline your pan forward so most of the egg gathers at the far end of the pan. Stop stirring. The mass of eggs should thin out around the edges at the near end. Using your fork, fold this thin edge toward the center of the omelet, enclosing the thick, moist center.
Press the fold into place, creating a rounded edge. Run your fork between the edge of the pan and the far edge of the omelet to loosen. Using the palm of one hand, tap the handle gently where it joins the pan to shake the omelet and make it twist and lift onto itself, so the lip rises above the edge of the pan. Fold this lip back toward the center of the omelet, meeting and overlapping the edge of the other lip. Press with the flat of the fork to shape the omelet into a point at each end.
Holding a warmed serving plate, tap the underside of the pan against the counter at the omelet end, so the omelet moves against the edge of the pan. Invert the omelet onto a plate. Press with the flat of the fork to shape the omelet into a point at each end. Smile and serve immediately.
Serves 1
❧ Brilliant Technique: Gratine
Sometimes simple and Basic are best, but most things, eggs included, are made better and therefore Brilliant with the addition of warm melted cheese. This technique is particularly handy when you are serving omelets for brunchunless you have your own personally staffed omelet station.
Position an oven rack 4 inches below the broiler and preheat the broiler. Slide the omelet into an oval gratin dish brushed with 1 tablespoon room-temperature butter. Repeat the process with additional omelets, if desired. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon grated Gruyre cheese over each omelet. Place under the broiler and cook until bubbly and lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
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