Now that the good ol’ anti-everything-French days are but a dim memory, let’s talk about omelets. We can divide them into two camps: French and American.
American omelets–by far the most familiar, given our present location–are shaped like half-moons, often browned on the outside and thoroughly cooked inside. They’re nearly always stuffed with something delicious.
Also, because we like to do things our own way, American omelets generally are not seasoned: Salt and pepper are added at the table.
French omelets are somewhat different. Instead of semicircular, they’re football shaped: folded like a letter and plated seam-side down. Exhibiting a pure yellow exterior with possibly a hint of browning, the interior–rather than being cooked solid–is moist and fluffy. Also, salt and pepper are added before cooking, thus ensuring that every bite will be perfectly seasoned. Fluffy and moist, French omelets certainly can be stuffed, but they are beautiful plain too.
Why you need to learn this
In terms of quick and elegant eats, nothing surpasses an omelet. Once you get good at the technique, you won’t believe how fast you can make an absolutely wonderful lunch. In the time it takes to toast some nice bread, your omelet’s done and lunch is ready.
Steps to follow
You’ll have the best results with an 8- or 9-inch non-stick saute pan. You’ll also need a fork and a warm plate onto which you can transfer the omelet as soon as it’s done. Try to keep the metal fork from scratching the surface of the non-stick surface.
We’ll be making two-egg omelets. Large, multi-egg omelets grow quickly unwieldy. Even if you’re cooking for several people, the two-egg jobs cook so quickly–less than half a minute–that it’s just as well to do everyone’s individually.
As with all things, don’t expect perfection the first or even second or third time you try: Buy a dozen eggs just to practice, and don’t feel guilty about tossing some out.
1. Crack two eggs into a bowl. Whisk them into a homogenous yellow mixture. (Some people prefer less whisking, to give the finished product a two-tone appearance–generally yellow with streaks of white marbled across the top.)
2. Season the beaten eggs with salt and pepper. Many chefs advocate white pepper for omelets because it’s invisible in the final product. Regular pepper will show up as small black spots dotting the surface of your otherwise pristine yellow omelet. Though I prefer the flavor of black pepper to white pepper, I agree that the small black dots make for a less palatable appearance
3. Set your non-stick pan over a flame that’s on the high side of medium-high. We want the pan to be very hot so the liquid egg coagulates immediately upon touching the surface.
4. When the pan is hot, add a bit of fat. I prefer clarified butter for its taste and higher smoke point. Whole butter will work, though you’ll probably end up with a somewhat browner final product. Oil is fine too: I recommend something light with a higher smoke point such as peanut or canola oil.
5. When the fat is hot, add the eggs. In about five seconds, there will be a thin layer of solid egg on the bottom of the pan, covered by the rest of the still liquid egg. Now it begins:
Using the flat side of the fork (photo 1), begin stirring up that solid layer. At the same time–and here’s where it gets tricky, like patting your head and rubbing your stomach–move the pan with speedy, confident vigor forward and back across the burner. These continuous combined motions cause more and more liquid to touch the pan bottom and coagulate. As it coagulates, it’s moved out of the way by the stirring and the shaking, making room for more liquid. You’ll notice the coagulated eggs mounting a bit in the center of the pan, exactly what you want for a nice, fluffy omelet.
6. In about 30 seconds, all the liquid will be gone. The eggs will be moist and curdy on the top but solid and dry on the bottom. Take the pan off the flame. If the eggs are still a bit gooey, don’t worry. Carryover cooking will complete the job once the omelet is folded.
7. Here’s the hardest part: Tilt the pan to a 45-degree angle and use your fork to fold down the top third of the omelet (photo 2). Next, loosen the bottom edge with your fork and begin sliding the omelet out of the pan and onto the plate. When the unfolded portion makes it onto the plate (photo 3), flip the remaining folded part over on top, pushing it slightly to position the seam underneath.
In theory, what you’ll end up with is a fluffy, seamless, oval-shaped omelet with a smooth yellow top. Good luck.
