The Egg and I: How to Make Incredible Omelets and Frittatas (4 page)

This is another omelet using the Five Minute Omelet method.

1 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sweet onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup green bell peppers, chopped

3 eggs
1 tablespoons milk
salt and pepper
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1. One tablespoon of melted butter, sauté the chopped onions and green peppers over medium heat for four or five minutes, until vegetables are tender. Set aside.
   
2. Choose the right size of pan.  A three-egg omelet requires an eight-inch pan.  The pan should be nonstick.
   
3. Whisk the eggs together in a bowl.
   
4. Put a pat of butter in your nonstick pan.  Place it on medium-high heat.  On our stovetop, a high BTU gas burner, that’s six out of ten.  Heat the butter to just short of brown and swirl it around the pan.
   
5. Pour the eggs into the hot pan.
     Salt and pepper the eggs.
   
6. Scramble the eggs with a soft silicone spatula scraping the bottom and sides of the pan.
     The eggs will cook quickly and curds will form.
   
7. When the eggs approach the consistency of cottage cheese with mostly solids but some liquid egg, stop stirring.
     Use the spatula as a paddle to pat the eggs down into an even layer.  Let the eggs continue cooking until the liquids are set and the top of the omelet is cooked.
   
8. Place the vegetable filling just off-center of the omelet.
   
9. The omelet should slip around in the pan without a hint of sticking.  Move the pan to a plate, tip the pan on angle over the plate, and gently shake the omelet onto the plate filling side first.
   
10. When the omelet is about half onto the plate, twist the pan with your wrist folding the remaining omelet over that on the plate.
      The omelet should be folded over with the bottom edge protruding about one-half inch.
    
11. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the omelet and serve hot.
    

This is a great spinach omelet!
  It’s made with fresh spinach and ricotta cheese.  The red pepper adds flavor and color. 

The recipe is sized for a single 3-egg omelet.
  If you are going to make several omelets, multiply the amount of the ingredients.  The directions are for our five minute omelet method. 

3 large eggs
a large handful of fresh spinach, chopped
1/8 red pepper, diced
3 tablespoons ricotta cheese
a pat of butter
salt and pepper

1. Whisk the eggs together in a cup.
     Sauté the red pepper pieces and spinach together until the pepper is tender and the spinach is wilted.  Mix the ricotta cheese with the spinach and pepper. 
   
2. Use an eight-inch, nonstick heavy frying pan.
     Put a pat of butter in the pan.  Over medium-high heat, heat the butter to just short of brown and swirl it around the pan.
   
3. Pour the eggs into the hot pan.
     Salt and pepper the eggs.
   
4. Scramble the eggs with a soft silicone spatula scraping the bottom and sides of the pan.
     The eggs will cook quickly and curds will form.
   
5. When the eggs approach the consistency of cottage cheese with mostly solids but some liquid eggs, stop stirring.
     Use the spatula as a paddle to pat the eggs down into an even layer.  Let the eggs continue cooking until the liquids are set and the top of the omelet is cooked.
   
6. Spread the ricotta cheese mixture across half of the omelet.
     If you are right-handed, put them on the left side of the omelet. 
   
7. The omelet should slip around in the pan without a hint of sticking.
     Move the pan to a plate, tip the pan on an angle over the plate, and gently shake the omelet onto the plate filling side first.
   
8. When the omelet is about half onto the plate, twist the pan with your wrist folding the remaining omelet over that on the plate.
     The omelet should be folded over with the bottom edge protruding about one-half inch. 
   

We have made hundreds and hundreds of omelets. One of our favorite omelets is a simple Thai omelet made with bean sprouts and chopped peanuts and topped with
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
.

Using this method, you can cook the omelet in minutes and you don’t have to turn it in the pan and risk breaking your omelet.  Once you get the hang of this method, it’s easy and you’ll make omelets this way more often.

1 tablespoons butter
3 large eggs
1 tablespoons milk
salt and pepper
1/2 cup bean sprouts, canned or fresh
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Choose the right size of pan. A three-egg omelet requires an eight-inch pan. The pan should be nonstick.

1. Place the pan over medium heat and melt the butter.
   
2. Whisk the eggs together in a bowl.
   
3. Pour the eggs into the hot pan. Salt and pepper the eggs.
   
4. Scramble the eggs with a soft silicone spatula scraping the bottom and sides of the pan.
    The eggs will cook quickly and curds will form.  When the eggs approach the consistency of cottage cheese with mostly solids but some liquid egg, stop stirring. Use the spatula as a paddle to pat the eggs down into an even layer.
   
5. Let the eggs continue cooking until the liquids are set and the top of the omelet is cooked.
    
   
6. Place the bean sprouts just off-center of the omelet. Sprinkle the cheese over the bean sprouts.
   
7. The omelet should slip around in the pan without a hint of sticking. Move the pan to a plate, tip the pan on angle over the plate, and gently shake the omelet onto the plate filling side first.
   
8. When the omelet is about half onto the plate, twist the pan with your wrist folding the remaining omelet over that on the plate. The omelet should be folded over with the bottom edge protruding about one-half inch.
     Sprinkle the chopped peanuts over the omelet and drizzle with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.  Serve hot.
    
   

Got a crowd to feed?  Consider an omelet bar. 
It can certainly work for your family or extended family.
 
It’s even practical for a family reunion. 

We’ve served omelets at our store before, up to 40 people. Since some people had more than one omelet, we made over 50 plus omelets.  Debbie, my daughter, and I did all the cooking, serving, and entertaining. However, that family reunion wasn’t as overwhelming as you may think. 

Here’s the set-up.  The trick is to have all the ingredients cooked and staged in neat bowls and bottles of sauces lined on the counter. 

• Cook cubed chicken and sausage.
  
• Sauté vegetables: red and green bell peppers, celery, mushrooms, and onion. 
  
• Set out several kinds of cheeses.
  
• Add a row of sauces:
  Bruschetta
  ,
  Mexican sauces, and some Asian sauces like
  Thai
  Sweet Chili
  and
  Peanut Sauce.
  

• See how to make easy omelets in a hurry >>
  

If your crowd is interested, teach them how to make these omelets.  The Five Minute Omelet Method is most practical for the non-chefs in your crowd.

Make the omelets to order.  Let folks pick what they want.  When we’ve made 50 omelets or more, we’ve used four pans—one for each burner.  Two of us can keep up fine.  You can get by with two or three pans. 

Most of the omelets were tame, restaurant types.  The buzz came from the unusual.  Here are some that we liked:

• Thai Peanut Omelet
  :
  Bean sprouts, chicken, and peanuts drizzled with Thai Peanut Sauce.  Go easy on the fillings or you’ll overload the omelet.  Drizzle just a bit of the peanut sauce over the filling before folding.
  
• Chicken and Cheese Omelet
  :
  Chicken, diced onions, and mozzarella drilled with Elki spreads.  If you like, you can sauté the chicken and onions and add the spreads.  Or you can let folks add a dollop of spread to their omelets.  This was always a very popular omelet.
  
• Sausage and Onion Omelet
  :
  Slice an onion and caramelize it in butter.  Cook link-sausages and chop them into bits.  Put both on the omelet and cover it with grated cheddar before folding. 
  
• Oriental Veggies and Sweet Chili Omelet
  :
  This is a simple omelet: A mixture of veggies—we used red and green bell peppers, onions, and celery—drizzled with Thai Sweet Chili sauce.  This was another favorite omelet.
  

If you prefer, the meats and veggies can be prepped and cooked the night before.
  While the unusual omelets are a lot of fun, be sure and have plenty of meats and cheeses for those who are less adventuresome.