Omelette Mastery
Elevating the Humble Egg
When you think “breakfast”, images of omelettes likely flash high up on the list. They can easily be a one-pan-meal and offer many combinations and variations that are just downright delicious.
Eggs are one of the most magical kitchen ingredients; high in protein, great emulsifiers and delicious to boot!
There are generally 2 camps of omelettes. Folded vs Rolled.
The former, whisked eggs are cooked in a single layer, fillings are spread over half the area and then the top is folded over.
Rolled omelettes are cooked in much the same way to start but the fillings are added to 1/3 the area and then folded into the exposed egg.
*Note: fillings aren’t mandatory and with the rolled omelette, sometimes I just garnish with chives and finishing salt
I’m a purist and the rolled omelette is my go-to. The custard center achieved by rolling the omelette is unparalleled (IMO).
The biggest issues with omelettes are that they are generally over-cooked. When this happens all of the soft, tender and custard-like qualities of the egg disappear and morph into a dry, tough and chewy mass.
If you want to watch a great cook preparing a step-by-step classic french style omelette I recommend this video. It covers all the technique and considerations to making a stellar omelette.
Note: you can skip ahead to 3:20 and bypass all the intro. The serving sauce is also optional, the main point is showing you how to make a great omelette base then you can riff on it.
As for making at home, there are limitless combinations… some work well, others not so much.
For example, I prefer to use cheeses that are good melters in omelettes. Fresh goats cheese (chevre) is not and I’m not a fan of the resulting texture so I don’t use when making omelettes.
Here’s some ideas:
This omelette was eggs, prosciutto, jack cheese and baby kale. The prosciutto is sliced so thin that the heat of the omelette warms through as the cheese melts as well; also wilting the baby kale. If using mature kale then I would recommend pre-steaming or blanching and drying.
And now today I’m going to show you the most indulgent omelette.
This will wow people if you are hosting a holiday brunch or just want to make a special breakfast for your family.
Let’s cook this special omelette up in ~20 mins from start to finish!