A correctly cooked omelette is pale, with a very small amount of underdone egg through the centre. This is known as ‘baveuse’.
1. Dragging the egg from the edges towards the centre of the pan.
2. Repeating this action around the pan to create folds of soft-cooked egg.
3. Lifting one third of the omelette over the middle third.
Ingredients
Serves 1
2 eggs
1 tbsp water
10g butter
Salt and finely ground white pepper
Few chives, to finish (optional)
Instructions
- Break the eggs into a small bowl and, using a fork, break them up by stirring vigorously. Add the water and some seasoning.
- Melt the butter in a 15cm non-stick omelette pan or small frying pan (or proved pan, see page 70) over a low heat. When just starting to foam a little, pour in the beaten eggs.
- Allow the egg to start to set a little, then, using the side of a fork, gently drag the egg from the edges towards the centre of the pan (as shown), allowing the uncooked egg to flood in behind the cooked egg. Repeat this around the pan, creating folds of soft-cooked egg (as shown).
- When most of the raw egg is cooked and there is only a small amount of slightly undercooked egg on the surface, take the pan off the heat and give it a shake so that the omelette slides up the side of the pan a little.
- Carefully lift one-third of the omelette over the middle third (as shown), readjust your hold on the pan, then flip the omelette onto a warmed plate. Serve at once, sprinkled with finely chopped chives, if you wish.
Variations
Herb omelette Add 1–2 tsp chopped herbs, such as parsley, chervil or chives, to the beaten eggs.
Cheese omelette Add 1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese to the beaten eggs. Or wrap 1 or 2 slices of soft, melting cheese inside the folded plain omelette.
Mushroom, pepper and onion omelette Spoon 2–3 tbsp fried sliced onions, mushrooms and red pepper over the cooked omelette before folding. You can also wrap 1 or 2 slices of soft, melting cheese inside this omelette.
Spring onion and Parmesan omelette Add 1 tbsp grated Parmesan to the beaten eggs. Finely slice a spring onion, including about half of the green part. Cook gently in the melting butter, then proceed as for the main recipe.
Ham and cheese omelette Finely grate 50g Gruyère or Comté cheese and shred 50g ham. Mix half the grated cheese into the eggs when breaking them up in a bowl. Halfway through cooking the omelette, sprinkle the remaining 25g cheese over the surface, allowing it to melt as the omelette finishes setting. Before folding the omelette, sprinkle the cooked ham over the surface.
Bacon and pea omelette Sauté 2 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, derinded and cut into thin strips, in 10g butter until the fat is rendered and the bacon crisp. Add 30g cooked peas and warm through. Incorporate both into the omelette as you cook it.
Hot-smoked salmon or trout and dill omelette Before folding the omelette, sprinkle over 50–75g flaked hot-smoked salmon or trout and a large pinch of coarsely chopped dill.