Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Sunday Brunch Meme

On every possible occasion, I try to incorporate eggs into my meals. For instance, in light and brothy noodle soups, I slip in a large chicken egg right before serving, so that I can enjoy a delicate, oozing, and poached surprise in my steaming soup bowl. In salads, I love to garnish my leafy greens with slices of hard-boiled egg. Even warm pastrami and sauerkraut sandwiches on rye bread taste better with fried egg. In fact, I even put eggs into my oatmeal! Thus, when I was recently tagged by Freya and Paul at Writing at the Kitchen Table to participate in the Sunday Brunch Meme, I eagerly leapt at the opportunity to feature one of my favorite breakfast/brunch item: the eggs-cellent omelette. Although I don't have brunch often, when I do, I must serve and consume eggs. Without eggs, brunch is simply not brunch. Rather, it is a belated lunch--an awkward "blunch," and not "brunch."

When I make omelettes, I serve them with two indispensable sides: creamy slices of buttery, ripened avocado; and roasted potatoes seasoned with extra-virgin olive oil, crushed peppercorns, and coarse granules of kosher salt.

I love how omelettes take on whatever characteristics that you assign them. You can elevate the entire "feel" of an omelette by adding a milky dollop of creme fraiche and a half-a-teaspoon-full of caviar, garnishing the omelette with crumbles of blue cheese and bacon, or wrapping an omelette blanket around warm chevre and sprinkling the omelette with chopped chives ringlets.


There are many alternative ways to prepare omelettes. Some people just bring a large stock pot of water to boil, and drop in ziploc bags filled with beaten egg and other ingredients into the hot water. The omelettes are done when the egg solidifies. You just use a slotted spoon to take out the plastic egg bag, and "pop" the omelette out of the bag onto a plate.

Other people combine the eggs and omelette ingredients, and fry everything together as one large egg pancake with the ingredients interspersed within the pancake.

Finally, others follow the traditional way, and cook the ingredients and egg separately. I follow this method of making omelettes.

My tips for making omelettes, is to first begin with a Teflon non-stick pan. Add one tablespoon of canola oil, and turn the heat on high until the oil is shimmering. Cook the omelette ingredients until softened. You may use any ingredients you wish, including diced bell peppers, minced red onion, crumbled bacon, chopped ham, diced tomatoes, or sliced mushrooms. Then, set the cooked ingredients aside and wipe the pan with a damp terrycloth towel. You can also cook the ingredients in an entirely different pan, but if you cook it in the "omelette-making pan," you don't have to wash as many dishes.

Next, heat the non-stick Teflon pan again on high heat and add another tablespoon of canola oil after any water on the pan has evaporated. Then, add two large eggs, that have been whisked (or beaten with a fork) until the yolks and egg whites are evenly incorporated. Pour the egg mixture onto the hot pan. Use your wrist to turn the pan by the handle until the bottom of the pan is completely coated with egg. As the egg cooks, use a wooden spoon, heatproof silicon spatula, or bamboo chopsticks to lift up the cooked portion of the egg and to allow the uncooked egg liquid to leak onto the surface of the hot pan. Then, with a spatula or with a rapid motion of your wrist, flip the scrambled egg pancake so that both sides of the pancake have had an opportunity to touch the bottom of the pan. Now, add cheese (if you wish) and the cooked ingredients on top of one half of the egg pancake. (If you like your omelettes on the "drier" side, don't add the juices that have excreted from the cooked vegetables. I actually like to add these juices to my omelette, as evidenced by the picture below.) Let the omelette cook for a little longer, so that the cheese has an opportunity to melt. Then, fold the omelette onto a plate by tilting the pan with the side with the filling over a plate, and then letting the omelette fall onto the plate. Before the omelette completely falls off of the pan onto the plate, use the pan to move the "naked" side of the omelette to cover the side of the omelette with the ingredients.


Sprinkle the omelette liberally with freshly ground black pepper, and bon appetit!

19 comments:

  1. This version sounds like the Indian masala dosa. I must try this!!

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  2. Omelets can also be flavoured any way you like.. Nice pics and presentation!

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  3. so simple, yet so elegant.

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  4. A-ha! see I've always added some milk or cold water to the whisked eggs, and then wondered why the omelettes fell apart when trying to do it the pancake-way (fillings added after omelette is cooked, such as you show so beautifully). I must try your recipe this week... going on holidays with LOTS of time to cook! oh and thumbs up for the avocados... fruit of the gods! OK I'm hungry now...

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  5. I can always appreciate some good omelette tips. Thanks!

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  6. it looks like the perfect omelette!

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  7. Thanks for these omelette making tips! I've always had trouble with omelettes. They say it's the ultimate test of a good chef.

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  8. Great post - I am a big fan of eggs for brunch.

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  9. What an OM-elette! I usually just do what you did too, fry the eggs, and ingredients separately.

    I love eggs any style, except raw ;p

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  10. Your omelette is gorgeous. Really beautiful.
    BUT! I'm cra-a-azy about your trick of slipping an egg into your soup just before you serve it. You just gave me a great new idea.

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  11. You know I love omelettes! I'll definitely try to have a side of avocado with mine next time!

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  12. Great post. I've never been a big fan of breakfast (usually just skip breakfast and wait for lunch), but I definitely want to try out your omelette tips :)

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  13. If only my breakfast looks like that. Dang, your omelettes are thick, fluffy and moist !:)
    P/S : I had green omelettes y'day for dinner, think its too green for me to post hahaha, leftover green chili paste + eggs with onions and tomatoes.

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  14. mmm, mmm, I just ate lunch and I'm getting hungry all over again looking at this post!

    Ari (Baking and Books)

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  15. We grew up eating lots of omelets, and I still make them all the time. Thanks for the helpful tips. You're right about the various cooking methods; I usually saute my veggies first, then pour the eggs on top and cook it. Your version looks just lovely.

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  16. One of your omelettes reminded me of a special omelette my mom makes with chili, onions and spices. It's so packed with flavor we have to eat it with rice...mmm...flavors from childhood!

    By the way, never thought of making an omellete by putting a beaten egg in a bag. That kind sounds like a science experiment I have to try.

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  17. gorgeous photos - esp the potatoes in the natural light. They look perfect!

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  18. Great omelettes! I'm still trying to perfect my flip. ;) And "blunch" - I love it! LOL!

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  19. Thank you so much for your kind comments everyone! I appreciate your kind words of support, especially given that I have been lagging in responding to comments and posting. I hope that you are are doing well!

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