Any Way You Spell it, Omelettes Don’t Scare Me!

What I know about omelette making techniques you could fit into a thimble. I hadn’t even eaten an omelette until I was in my early thirties – and that was on a flight to Los Angeles for a little weekend get away with Hubby. What I knew about omelettes was that my mother never made them. It was something fancy people ate at a fancy brunch. What I have since learned about omelettes has been self-taught. I know what I like and what I don’t like, so I don’t order omelettes very often when dining out.

I don’t like omelettes that are under cooked. If there is even the slightest hint of runny whites, I will not eat it. I don’t like omelettes that are over cooked, as in crisp around the edges and browned. Call me Goldie Locks, but an omelette has to be cooked “just right”, cooked through without being brown or dry.

The first thing I do when making omelettes for breakfast is to gather all my “fixings” and have them warmed and ready. I think it helps in the omelette process if the filling is hot. It helps to finish the eggs, it helps to melt the cheese without over cooking the outer omelette.

You can put just about anything into an omelette. Fry up some bacon, crumble it and keep it warm – that’s a good filling. Chop vegetables, sauté until tender but crisp – that’s a good filling. Chopped ham, dices red onions and mushrooms (today’s selection) is probably the most common, basic omelette filling. Mix it all together for a flavor-packed omelette. Another wonderful filling is left over taco meat. Add a little salsa as a garnish and you’ve got a kicking South of the Border delight. I once met a woman who filled her omelettes with fried hot dogs. As I always say, the sky’s the limit!

While omelettes are an awesome way to get your egg fix in the morning, they are just as delicious for dinner. An all-veggie omelette is a great way to get your protein while not eating meats on a Friday.

The recipe that follows is for the basic Ham, Mushroom and Cheese Omelette. The cooking method will work for any style omelette.

Ham, Mushroom & Cheese Omelette
1 Cup Cooked Ham, cubed
1 Cup any mild cheese of your choice, shredded
1 cup Chopped Mushrooms
½ cup Onion, finely chopped
2-3 Eggs per omelet, whipped, depending upon skillet size
4 tablespoons butter, 1 per omelette
Olive oil – enough to lightly coat a small skillet
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a small skillet, drizzle olive oil to coat bottom. Add mushrooms and onions, sauté until mushrooms are tender but firm and onion has begun to brown lightly. Add ham and keep warm until ready to use. In a medium size bowl, whip 3 eggs until pale and blended.(Note, when using a smaller skillet or omelette pan, 2 eggs per omelette may be all you will need).

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Melt butter in a medium-size skillet or omelet pan over medium-low heat. Pour eggs into pan. While it may seem like a low temperature for cooking eggs, they won’t brown but will remain a sunny yellow.

Shake and swirl pan on burner during cooking to help spread egg mixture and prevent burning or over-browning.

Once egg has begun to “set”, push the outer edges toward the middle, tilting the pan to allow any unset egg to run beneath and continue to cook. Once all the egg is set, add ¼ of ham mixture and ¼ cup of cheese, fold and slide onto serving dish. Wipe omelet pan clean and continue until all the omelets are cooked.

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Here’s a neat little tool that has made omelette making even easier – a spatula designed for omelettes. Oh my word, was a joy this is to have in the kitchen; and the name says it all – Flip and Fold Omelette Turner! It’s made of silicone, is very flexible and the uncooked egg will not stick (thereby tearing) to the spatula. I got mine at a kitchen store, but you can find them online as well.

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