Rolled Omelet

I love the idea of omelets as a fast and simple meal. But fast and simple doesn’t necessarily mean easy. I’ve been trying for years, but never made an omelet that both looked good and tasted good. My omelets were brown and tough on the outside or too runny in the middle. I decided to live with scrambled eggs instead.

But every few months, I got an urge for omelets. I studied the omelet recipes in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, only to have my omelets stick to the pan or crumple into a pile of scrambled eggs. I’ve tried to mimic chefs on TV who swirl and flip their eggs, but I don’t really like eating omelets off the floor.

So my number one resolution for 2009 was to learn how to make a proper omelet. Egg cookery may not be typical for New Year’s resolutions, but this year I wanted a resolution I had a chance of achieving. I had grand plans to buy dozens of eggs and stand at the stove until I mastered the perfect omelet.

It seemed fortuitous then, when the January 2009 issue of Cook’s Illustrated featured “Perfect French Omelets.” (You need a subscription for full access to all their recipes.) The recipe emphasizes moderate heat and actually calls for taking the pan off the burner for a bit. This was a revelation for me – gentle heat for omelets!

I knew omelets cook quickly and always assumed quick cooking required high heat – fast and hot. Plus, many omelet recipes actually call for very high heat. This was the reason my omelets were always overdone on the outside and underdone on the inside.

Cook’s Illustrated recipes deliver a level of precision unmatched in other food magazines. While I appreciate this, sometimes their meticulousness is my undoing. After screwing up the first two omelets while trying to read the recipe AND cook at the same time, I decided to simplify.

First I highlighted key elements from the recipe:

• Preheated eight-inch non-stick pan
• Direct heat for about a minute to set the eggs
• Residual and steam heat for a minute or two to finish the omelet

Next I simplified the ingredient list. Then I closed the magazine, mustered up confidence, and made breakfast. Success at last! These omelets are tender, moist, and delicious. Now all I have to do is lose 15 pounds and learn a second language.

Rolled Omelet

This recipe was inspired by Cook’s Illustrated “Perfect French Omelets,” although I don’t promise perfection. This is not one of those super-fluffy omelets; it’s a bit delicate. But it's moist and eggy. The key to this omelet is finding just the right temperatures for preheating the pan and then setting the eggs. An eight-inch non-stick pan is also critical. A small amount of filling is fine, but avoid overfilling the omelet.

¼ teaspoon vegetable oil (for pan)
1 teaspoon unsalted butter (for pan)

Omelet Ingredients
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, cut in half
⅛ teaspoon salt
Pinch of black pepper

Optional Fillings
2 Tablespoons cheese, shredded or diced
1 slice cooked bacon, crumbled

1. Preheat an 8-inch non-stick pan over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. If you hold your hand (carefully) about an inch over the surface of the pan, it should start to feel uncomfortably hot after several seconds, but not burning hot.

2. Crack the eggs into medium bowl. Add the milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Break the yolks and stir steadily with a fork for 20 to 30 seconds. Don’t worry about the chunks of butter; they will melt into the eggs in the pan.

3. Pour ¼ teaspoon of oil into preheated pan. Swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides of pan. Let the oil heat up for a minute. Then add a teaspoon of butter to the pan and let it melt. Swirl the butter around.

4. Increase the heat to medium. Pour the eggs into the pan. Immediately start stirring the eggs with a wooden skewer or the handle of a wooden spoon. Stir with a small circular motion and work your way around the entire surface of the pan.

5. Cook for about one minute until eggs look set on the bottom, but still look a bit wet and runny on the surface. If you start to see gaps or holes in the eggs, push some of the liquid egg in to fill the holes. After a minute or so, when the eggs seem just cooked on the bottom but wet and runny on top, smooth the top surface of the eggs using a spoon or spatula. Sprinkle on the cheese and bacon at this point if desired.

6. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 1 or 2 minutes or until omelet is cooked to your liking. (Use 1 minute for a soft, wet omelet OR 2 minutes for a firmer omelet.)

7. When omelet is done to your liking, remove cover and return the pan to medium heat. Run a spatula under the edges of the omelet and shake the pan a bit to make sure the omelet is not sticking.

8. Put a paper towel on a plate. Carefully slide and jiggle the omelet onto the paper towel. Lift an edge of the paper towel and use it to roll up the omelet.

9. If you’re making more omelets, let the pan heat up again over medium-low heat until thoroughly hot and repeat the process. If desired, keep cooked omelets in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Makes 1 omelet

Nutrition facts for 1 plain omelet: 304 calories, 15 g protein, 25 g fat, 456 mg cholesterol, 646 mg sodium, 0.5 g fiber (from the black pepper surprisingly!)

Nutrition facts for 1 omelet with bacon & cheese: 382 calories, 21 g protein, 31 g fat, 478 mg cholesterol, 983 mg sodium, 0.5 g fiber

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Postscript:

Elizabeth David is a celebrated British food writer. In her book, French Provincial Cooking, first published in 1962, she famously wrote:

"As everybody knows, there is only one infallible recipe for the perfect omelette: your own."

I'd love to hear about your recipe for the perfect omelet. Please share!