Add a generous pat of butter. Light, yet rich in flavour, swift, but satisfying, the omelette is the ultimate frugal supper. Heat some butter in the skillet over medium heat. a medium-sized bowl, a wooden spoon, a fork, Ree Drummond and Other Celebrity Chefs on the Perfect Scrambled Eggs. Master this essential technique and impress your brunch guests with your superior omelet-making skills by following the simple steps outlined below that will have you cooking omelets like a pro. Serve! ", Finally, David writes, someone saw fit to ask Madame herself for her recipe. Photograph: Felicity Cloake, Cooking an omelette. Omelette Savoyard as made by Aldo Zilli and Pasquale Amico from a recipe in Delia Smith's How To Cheat. Shake the pan so they roll together, then tilt it and turn your omelette on to a warm plate (you can tidy it up before serving if you like). Using a spatula or fork, draw in the sides of the eggs to the centre while shaking the pan to redistribute the liquid to the edges. Use a fork when whisking eggs and whisk as vigorously as you can for 30 seconds to get some air in your eggs, which will give you a fluffier omelet. Omelette cooks divide into two broad camps: those who hold that spatulas are for amateurs, and those of us who live in the real world. Additionally, you will need plenty of butter — at least three pats per omelet — a splash of water or milk, and your filling. (We are aiming for a classically baveuse result here: a thin, delicate skin encasing a meltingly soft, slightly liquid interior.) To do this, simply tip the pan in one fluid motion over the plate. You will know your eggs are ready when you pull the fork up and a homogenous stream of egg runs off without any white streaks. Be sure to have a plate close by to display your masterpiece when it’s finished so it doesn’t sit in the pan and become overcooked. Personally, I am a devotee of the Michel Roux Jr school, in which one pours in the eggs, allows them to set for about 20 seconds, then simultaneously stirs and shakes the pan like a maniac until the thing is done. You will know your skillet is ready when you see the first small bubbles forming in the butter. Then, using a wooden spoon, gently roll the omelet. A fork is preferable to a whisk, because your goal here is simply to incorporate the whites with the yolks, not to add additional air. And can these delicate French omelettes ever compete with a whopping British half moon, oozing with cheese, and served with chips? I remember Julia's instruction about being "fearless" as I "jerk the pan roughly" towards me, "throwing the egg mass" against the far side of the pan, and "forcing it to roll over upon itself". We love a peppery, creamy Boursin cheese, but feel free to add your favorite seasonal vegetables. Milk makes them fluffy. While you can order one in every diner from here to Siberia, what arrives at the table is rarely a perfect omelet — glossy like a yellow, lacquered table. This method, although common, is by no means sacrosanct. Finally, all of that scrambling and shaking is sure to splash egg mixture up the sides of the pan, so as you notice it, scrape the sides of the pan to keep the edges from overcooking. Prepare all of your fillings before you start to beat the egg so they're ready to add to the omelet when needed. Since there is little more to an omelet than eggs, using the freshest eggs possible will keep the texture of your omelet at its best. Photograph: Felicity Cloake, A Julia Child method omelette. They do tend to make the eggs more "fluffy" and light, but I like the taste and texture of my eggs to be moist and well "heavy" for lack of a better word (and also in larger hunks). Ree Drummond and 16 Other Celebrity Chefs on the Perfect Scrambled Eggs, How to Cook Steak Perfectly on the Stove Every Time, Restaurant Secrets Every Home Cook Should Know. Shake the pan to distribute the eggs evenly, then leave for 20 seconds until they begin to bubble. Once you are satisfied with your omelet’s doneness, remove the pan from the heat and allow the omelet to rest in the pan for about a minute. Next, choose your cooking method. Be sure to season your eggs well at this point, before you start stirring the eggs, for an evenly seasoned omelet. Michel Roux Jr recommends an old-fashioned cast-iron omelette pan, of the sort I suspect may also have graced Madame Poularde's stove in turn-of-the-century Normandy. To garnish the omelette, rub with the final pat of butter to give it a shiny look. Photograph: Felicity Cloake, Omelette made with milk. Since this is an omelet lesson in the French style, go ahead and pull out the butter along with the eggs for this cooking lesson. Now that you have added your seasoning, begin to gently stir or scramble the omelet with a wooden spoon. Consider that the pan must be hot enough to set this skin in a matter of seconds (it is helpful to get your eggs to room temperature if possible before cooking – fridge-cold eggs will take longer to set, and I found this resulted in an overcooked base), which means the omelette must be cooked fast, or it will be tough. Photograph: Linda Nylind for the Guardian, The all egg omelette. Try using an extra egg and adding just a dash of milk. I don't use milk or water in my omelets (or scrambled eggs, etc). If you froth an egg too much you create air pockets which are insulators which can make the omelette take longer to cook through, which can make some portions of the omelette over-cooked and rubbery. I try hard. Photograph: Felicity Cloake, Foaming butter - be patient. Several messes later, I finally have my omelette à la Child; but it doesn't look neat, like the others. 2 eggsSalt and pepperGenerous knob of butter (about a tablespoon)Filling of your choice (optional). Then, sprinkle with freshly chopped herbs, like chives, parsley, or chervil. While you are stirring the omelet, shake the pan in a circular motion to aid with the stirring. It is vitally important to match omelette to the size of your pan: if the pan is too big, the omelette will cook too quickly, too small, and it will be tough on the outside while still excessively runny within. Hold the skillet in one hand. Darina Allen at Ballymaloe substitutes water – a view endorsed by Steven Shaw, co-founder of influential foodie community egullet, who says, "One teaspoon of cold water per large egg will make a difference in the fluffiness of the omelette. 5. I wouldn't say it's a must, but I think that, deployed with skill, a cast-iron pan could help to achieve a softer, more unctuous result. Step 3: Cook to Perfection. Pan and ingredients sorted, it's time to turn the spotlight on my method which, although competent enough, is not always to be relied upon to produce the neat yellow cigars I yearn for. This will finish cooking the bottom of the omelet. While your omelet is resting, go ahead and add your filling of cheese, bacon, ham or seasonal vegetables. Before long, recipes for the omelette de la mère Poulard began to appear in magazines and cookery books. Do you prefer olives or onions on your pizza? Although of optimum size, my existing non-stick number is not to everyone's taste. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Recommended amount of liquid (water or milk): 1 tbsp pr egg. If stirring and tilting is good enough for Roux Jr, the good people at Ballymaloe House (where, incidentally, I ate the best breakfast of my life) and Marcus Wareing, then it's good enough for me. Whisk together the eggs until just mixed, then season. Take off the heat, and fold two edges into the middle. The reason why your omelette has flopped is most likely because you've not beaten the eggs enough. Reluctantly, I step away from the safety of my Teflon stalwart, and into the grown-up world of a very beautiful (and very heavy) Le Creuset number. (It must then be taken off the heat sharpish, or it will overcook.) I throw the eggs into it and I shake it constantly. If you hear a sizzle, don’t panic, just turn down the heat. An in-depth look. Add a little water or milk when whisking to make a fluffier omelet. Having filled the kitchen with eggs (medium organic, since you ask – in the interests of making this a fair test, I had to turn down a kind offer from a friend with hens for fear of exhausting the poor things), I selected my pan (a nine inch non-stick number suitable for a standard two-egg omelette) and got cracking (sorry). 1. Larousse Gastronomique, which published its first edition seven years after Madame P's death in 1931, suggests 2-3 tbsp of milk can be added to its 8 beaten eggs if desired. They do tend to make the eggs more "fluffy" and light, but I like the taste and texture of my eggs to be moist and well "heavy" for lack of a better word (and also in larger hunks). Place your skillet on the burner and turn to medium or medium-low.