Omelette making 101
The quick, easy way to satisfy your stomach and clean out your refrigerator.
KITCHEN
ADE
Sue Ade
Sue Ade, a
Lowcountry
resident since
1985, is a
gourmet baker
and collector of
vintage cooking
utensils and
cookbooks.
She can be
reached at
sueade@aol.
com or 6830375.
I
n less time than it takes to read
this column, you can make an
omelette.
Omelettes can go from skillet
to plate in 30 seconds or less. So
why don’t more of us rely on them
at mealtime?
It seems that many people think
omelettes are tricky to make and
can only be successfully prepared
by culinary school trained chefs.
Perhaps in the days before nonstick skillets and silicone spatulas
there were grounds to justify that
way of thinking. Omelettes often
lived up to their well-deserved
reputation for overbrowning, tearing and sticking to the pan.
Today, those omelette problems
are practically nonexistent and the
image of a well-made omelette,
effortlessly sliding on to a warmed
waiting plate, is not just the stuff of
dreams.
Omelettes are delicious for
breakfast, but when dished up with
a mixed green salad and, perhaps,
a glass of wine, they also make an
excellent and satisfying choice for
a light lunch or dinner.
Whether served plain or as a
protein-rich vehicle for using up
whatever bits of meat, vegetables
or cheese you may have on hand,
it’s hard to find another meal that
can be made as economically, simply or quickly as an omelette.
And, after weeks of holiday
spending and overindulgent eatPhotos by Sue Ade/Morris News Service
ing, a meal described as “economA
well-made
omelette
is
as
delicious
to
eat
as
it
is
quick
to
make.
Enjoy
omelettes
plain
or
filled
with
whatever
bits
of
meats,
cheese
or vegetables you have
ical” and “simple” sounds pretty
on hand. A side of skillet-fried potato wedges can be served with omelettes at breakfast, lunch or dinner.
good to me.
Omelette pointers
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Individual omelettes that are made with two
or three large eggs are manageable and easy
to handle. Be sure the eggs are brought to
room temperature before cooking; cold eggs
take longer to cook.
Using a fork or a whisk, whisk eggs until
yellow and whites are combined.
Use a 10-inch nonstick pan with gently sloping
slides.
Heat pan over medium-high heat, then add
unsalted butter and heat butter to point of
foaming. (Use unsalted butter; salted butter
tends to promote sticking.) When the foaming
subsides, add beaten eggs to the center of
pan.
Shake and swirl pan to spread the eggs over
pan’s surface.
As eggs begin to coagulate, tilt pan to the side
so the uncooked eggs run to the edge of the
pan. Use a heat resistant or silicone spatula to
“push” the cooked egg edges to the center of
the omelette.
If fillings such as meat or vegetables are
added, cook them first. Cooked vegetables
and meats, as well as cheese, should be added
to the omelette once the eggs have almost
set.
Cook omelette until it is set, but still moist
on top. Underside should be lightly browned.
Using a spatula, fold omelette in half or thirds,
then slide onto warm plate.
How eggs make the grade
For the purposes of sales,
chicken eggs are graded by weight.
The United States Department
of Agriculture grades them by
minimum weight, per dozen, as
follows:
Jumbo: 30 ounces
Extra large: 27 ounces
Large: 24 ounces
Medium: 21 ounces
Small: 18 ounces
Peewee: 15 ounces
Kitchen Ade note: The most
common size eggs are large. When
a printed recipe does not specify
what size egg to use, it is generally
assumed that a large egg will be
utilized. When buying eggs, look
for the United States Department
of Agriculture grade shield on the
carton with a grading of AA or A.
Individual omelettes are easier to handle than large
ones. Omelettes cook quickly, so have everything
ready to go before beginning to cook.
Basic omelette
for one
2-3 large eggs, room temperature
1-1/2 teaspoons water
Dash salt and fresh ground pepper
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Fresh minced parsley and chive
sprigs for garnish
Break the eggs into a bowl. Add water, salt and pepper and whisk to combine egg yolks with whites. Heat
a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and heat to foaming. When foam subsides,
add eggs to center of the pan. Shake and twirl pan to distribute eggs over pan’s surface. When eggs begin
to coagulate, tilt pan so uncooked egg runs off to the sides of the pan. As the eggs cook, gently push the
cooked edges toward the omelette’s center with a heat resistant or silicone spatula. When eggs are set, use
spatula to fold omelette in half or thirds. Slide omelette on to warm plate and serve at once. Garnish with
minced parsley and chive sprigs.
This vintage Acme egg scale, for which a patent was granted on
June 24, 1924, was the invention of Norton E. Chapman of St.
Paul, Minn. It was once used to grade eggs according to their
weight, as the scale’s aluminum strips lifted according to the
weight of the egg. The egg depicted here is a large.
What goes well with an omelette?
Skillet-fried potatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter,
divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium or one large baking
potato, sliced very thin (potatoes
may be peeled or unpeeled)
Salt and fresh ground pepper
A platter of skillet-fried
potatoes goes well with
omelettes and many other
dishes. If thinly sliced,
these potatoes will be
tender and crisp brown in
about 20 minutes.
In a 10-inch skillet, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter in the oil. In it, arrange half the potato slices,
overlapping slices to completely cover bottom of skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange remaining potatoes
on top and dot with remaining butter. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until bottom is lightly browned. With
a pancake turner, carefully turn potatoes over, taking care not to break potatoes apart. Lower heat slightly and
continue to cook potatoes, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes longer, or until underside is browned. Invert potatoes onto
serving platter and sprinkle top lightly with paprika. Cut into wedges to serve. Makes 2 servings.