Egg Omelet

An omelet is usually made with 2 or 3 eggs and is cooked very quickly in a sauté pan. The bottom of the pan should be about 7 to 8 inches in diameter so that the eggs will be no more than ¼" in height in the pan. A nonstick pan works very well, but the professionals use an iron pan with a long handle that can be exclusively used for omelet making. A properly seasoned iron pan can be cleaned after each use by simply wiping it with a clean cloth or paper towel. Salt is then rubbed on the pan and wiped clean after each use. The salt treatment helps prevent eggs from sticking to the pan the next time it is used.

To prepare an omelet, crack open 2 or 3 eggs over a bowl, add salt and pepper, and stir the eggs just until the whites and yolks begin to blend. The eggs should not be vigorously beaten.
Place the sauté pan on high heat and thoroughly coat the bottom and sides with butter. After the butter is melted, it will begin to foam. The pan is hot enough to continue when the foaming stops, but the butter has not begun to brown.
When the eggs are poured into the pan, they should begin to coagulate almost immediately.
With a few side to side movements of the pan, distribute the eggs evenly.
After a few more seconds, the eggs should be cooked enough to begin forming the mass into an omelet shape.
Jerking the pan toward you should cause the omelet to roll over upon itself as it hits the side of the pan. Continue doing this for few seconds until the omelet is folded into a pleasing form. The omelet should be tender and moist. A dry omelet indicates that it has been cooked too long. Tilt the omelet from the pan onto a plate and it is ready to serve. The actual cooking time is usually no more than 30 to 45 seconds.

Additional ingredients, such as herbs, can be added to the eggs before they are cooked without changing the way the basic omelet is cooked. Other ingredients, such as cheese or finely chopped meats, can be added just before finishing the cooking process. The extra ingredients will probably require that a spatula be used to fold the omelet in the pan rather than trying to roll it over by jerking the pan. The extra ingredients can also be placed on top of the plain omelet when it is served.

Egg Omelet