Basic French Omelet Food

CLASSIC FRENCH OMELETTE

Steps:

• Crack eggs into a medium bowl. Use a fork to whisk until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute; stir in a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. To make clarified butter: In a small saucepan, melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter over medium heat and bring to a simmer, 5-7 minutes. As white foam collects on the surface, skim off with a small ladle or spoon and discard; these are the milk solids. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue skimming until the butter is clear. Pour the clarified butter through a cheesecloth-lined strainer to catch the smaller milk solids, and set aside. (Note: Clarified butter has a higher smoke point than regular butter, allowing for cooking at higher temperatures. Clarified butter can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several months.)
• Heat a 10-inch nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon clarified butter and swirl to coat to bottom. When the pan is hot, pour in the eggs and begin quickly and gently shaking the pan. While shaking, stir the eggs with a heatproof spatula, using small circular movements to loosen the curds and lightly scramble, about 20 seconds. The constant movement should prevent any part of the eggs from overcooking or taking on color.
• When the eggs are creamy and still only partly cooked, shake the pan to level the omelette. Turn the heat to low. Tilt the pan slightly and begin rolling the omelette: first, loosen the edge closest to the handle, then roll it toward the middle. (The cooked side should show no browning.) When the omelette is half-rolled, run the spatula around the far edge to release the eggs from the pan. Then tilt the pan more sharply and tap it firmly on the stovetop (or a cutting board) to loosen the omelette. Bang on the handle with your free hand to help the far edge begin to roll up; use the spatula as needed to tuck it toward the center of the omelette. Add butter to the pan and let it melt along the exterior of the omelette.
• Gently flip the omelette onto a plate, seam side down. Use your hands or a spatula to gently perfect the shape and tuck in any loose edges. Serve immediately.

ULTIMATE FRENCH OMELETTE

Steps:

• Get everything ready. Warm a 20cm (measured across the top) non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them with a fork so they break up and mix, but not as completely as you would for scrambled egg. With the heat on medium-hot, drop one knob of butter into the pan. It should bubble and sizzle, but not brown. Season the eggs with the parmesan and a little salt and pepper, and pour into the pan.
• Let the eggs bubble slightly for a couple of seconds, then take a wooden fork or spatula and gently draw the mixture in from the sides of the pan a few times, so it gathers in folds in the centre. Leave for a few seconds, then stir again to lightly combine uncooked egg with cooked. Leave briefly again, and when partly cooked, stir a bit faster, stopping while there's some barely cooked egg left. With the pan flat on the heat, shake it back and forth a few times to settle the mixture. It should slide easily in the pan and look soft and moist on top. A quick burst of heat will brown the underside.
• Grip the handle underneath. Tilt the pan down away from you and let the omelette fall to the edge. Fold the side nearest to you over by a third with your fork, and keep it rolling over, so the omelette tips onto a plate - or fold it in half, if that's easier. For a neat finish, cover the omelette with a piece of kitchen paper and plump it up a bit with your fingers. Rub the other knob of butter over to glaze. Serve immediately.

A CLASSIC FRENCH OMELET

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Add the olive oil to a skillet and heat it over medium-high heat - do not overheat the oil, if it is too hot the egg will set immediately after it hits the pan and then will be too hard.
• Whisk the eggs until they are frothy - it is important to not add salt or pepper at this stage of the recipe.
• Stir half of the cold butter into the eggs.
• Add the remaining butter to the skillet and swirl it with the oil until it melts and becomes cloudy and bubbly.
• Pour the eggs into the hot skillet and cook, moving a fork quickly through the eggs in small circles and zigzags until the eggs are approximately 80% cooked through.
• Smooth down the top surface of the eggs with the back of a large spoon or a small offset spatula.
• Season the eggs with salt and pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle the shredded cheese and chopped herbs on the eggs and cover with a lid.
• Turn off the heat and allow the omelet to continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on how firm you want your eggs.
• Tilt the skillet to the side a bit and, using a rubber spatula, carefully ease the omelet out of the pan and onto a warmed serving plate.
• Gently roll the omelet into the traditional tube shape. Serve with a fresh green salad lightly dressed with French dressing.

THE FRENCH OMELET

Steps:

• The most practical tool for making an omelet is a table fork. Combine eggs, water, and salt in a bowl and briskly whisk with fork just until yolks and whites are thoroughly blended.
• One secret to a light, fluffy omelet is not overmixing. Stop whisking when eggs drip smoothly and cohesively from fork tines. If eggs are room temperature, yolks and whites will combine more readily.
• Whisk in cubed butter and herbs. The combination complements the flavor of the eggs instead of overpowering it: Unsalted butter adds a creamy richness, while tender herbs add freshness.
• Place a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 30 seconds. Add remaining butter and melt, swirling to coat pan. Add egg mixture and cook, undisturbed, until edges begin to set, about 10 seconds.
• Holding fork flat, stir eggs thoroughly in a figure-eight pattern with one hand while shaking skillet back and forth with the other. Keep incorporating set edges into runny center. This takes just 25 to 30 seconds.
• Turn off heat while eggs still look slightly wet. Tilt skillet away from you until omelet slides up far edge. Loosen side of omelet nearest you and roll with fork 2 or 3 times toward center.
• After folding far edge of omelet into center as well, press down gently to seal with fork. Invert, seam side down, onto a warm plate. The residual heat in the omelet will cook it a bit more.
• The added value of a warm plate: If you want to serve two, your first effort will keep nicely while you make another. Then season with pepper, sprinkle with remaining herbs, and serve immediately.

BASIC OMELETTE

Steps:

• Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk.
• Add some salt and pepper, if you like, but do not add any water, milk, or any other liquids.
• Heat the oil or butter in a 9-inch non-stick frying pan and pour in the eggs.
• In the first 30-seconds of cooking, use a spatula to create 6-10 small cuts through the omelette.
• This allows the uncooked egg on the top to flow down to the bottom of the pan.
• When the top is nearly set, sprinkle any fillings over half of the omelette and turn off the heat.
• Don't worry if some of the egg in the very centre isn't quite set, because the ambient heat will soon cook it.
• Use your spatula to flip one half of the omelette over the other and serve immediately.

FRENCH OMELET

Steps:

• Whisk together first 5 ingredients., Place a 10-in. skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture. Mixture should set immediately at edges. As eggs set, push cooked portions toward the center, letting uncooked eggs flow underneath. When eggs are thickened and no liquid egg remains, top 1 half with remaining ingredients. Fold omelet in half. Cut in half to serve.

CHEF JOHN'S FRENCH OMELETTE

Steps:

• Whisk eggs, salt, and water together in a mixing bowl. Whisk until mixture is very liquid and whites are completely blended in, 1 or 2 minutes.
• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 9- or 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. As soon as butter melts and before it starts to sizzle, pour in the whisked eggs. Stir in a circular pattern with a heat-proof spatula, lifting and "scrambling" eggs, shaking pan to keep leveling out the mixture, and scraping down the sides. Continue stirring until shaking the pan no longer levels the eggs.
• Reduce heat to low. Using the spatula, smooth the surface of the eggs to move runny eggs to less runny spots, working toward an even thickness. As soon as surface is wet but not runny, remove from heat.
• Starting at the handle side of the pan, use the spatula to begin rolling the omelette into a cylinder shape, about 3 rolls until omelette is about 2 inches from opposite side of pan. Use spatula to fold the last flap of egg over the top of the cylinder leaving the seam side up. Add cubes of the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to pan. Gently push the butter as it melts under the omelette.
• Slide omelette to edge of pan. Flip onto a plate with the seam side down. Even out the shape, if necessary. You can tuck in the ends, if you like. Brush surface with a bit more butter. Dust with cayenne pepper.

FRENCH OMELET

Steps:

• Whisk the eggs with the water and salt and pepper. Water helps bond the egg, so the omelet will fold more easily.
• Put 3/4 (15g) of the butter and 1/2 (ie. a dash) of the olive oil in a good non-stick 20cm to 30cm frying pan. Heat till the butter bubbles. Mixing the oil with butter makes the mixture spread out, and mushrooms taste better cooked in butter.
• Put the mushroom, onion and bacon (and potato, if using) in the frying pan. Cook until the onion starts to brown (and stir to ensure the mushroom soaks & bacon cooks). Remove from the pan.
• Put 1/4 (5g) of the butter and another dash of the olive oil in the pan. Again heat until it bubbles. Make sure it covers the base of the frying pan (by tipping & tilting the frying pan). Put the whisked egg in the frying pan, and make sure that it covers the base of the frying pan (by tipping & tilting again).
• Immediately put the cooked bacon, mushrooms & onions on one half of the omelet - whichever half looks like it might cook the slowest. Lay the cheese on top of the bacon, mushrooms & onions.
• Test lifting the other side of the omelet. When it is cooked enough to be solid enough to lift, lift it with one or two spatulas to cover the other half of the omelet. You can lift with one spatula and jerk the frying pan, but it might be easier to use two spatulas.
• Leave the omelet to cook on a lowish heat for another minute - so the cheese will completely melt through. Then serve.

FRENCH-STYLE OMELET

Steps:

• Crack eggs into a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Beat eggs back and forth with a fork to break them up and mix thoroughly until whites and yolks are indistinguishable from one another and they resemble foamy orange juice.
• Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add butter and swirl until melted and foamy but not browned. If butter begins to brown, the pan is too hot.
• Pour eggs into skillet; it should be hot enough that eggs begin to curl up around the edges. Agitate the pan and move the eggs with a spatula as if you are giving them a light scramble, until a little creamy and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. The entire bottom of the pan should be covered with egg. Turn off heat and add desired fillings.
• Hold the handle of the skillet and place skillet edge in the middle of a plate. Flip one end of the omelet over with your hand or a spatula to partly cover the filling. Next, using your hand or a spatula, gently roll omelet over again. Gently shake skillet and nudge it onto the plate with spatula or hand so that it is seam-side down. When omelet is out of skillet, form the omelet on the plate with your hand, tucking in the sides to make a plump oval packet. The top of the omelet will be fluffy and blond without any browning and ends hidden underneath.