The four fail-proof (kinda) steps to making a cracking omelette.
1: Before you start
Don’t get intimidated! It can’t be that hard to make an omelette, right? Provided you’ve put a bit of thought in, sourced the freshest, tastiest, cruelty free eggs, and decided on a banging filling, you can’t go too wrong.
You’ll need:
Stick/Jug blender (For incorporating as much air as possible into the egg mix).
Solid, well-seasoned, non-stick pan that will hold an even heat.
Flat rubber spatula (so you don’t ruin your solid, well-seasoned, non-stick pan).
Oven with an overhead grill function.
2: If the filling’s on point, you’re halfway there
Put some thought into what’s going into your omelette. Personally, I think less is more - go for something tasty that offers texture and contrast to the (hopefully) fluffy egg duvet it’ll be wrapped in. Put in the time to make whatever’s going inside as tasty as it can be and then put it to one side. I’ve gone for Thyme-roasted Jerusalem artichokes, smoked Montgomery cheddar and gem lettuce.
Take 1-2 large Jerusalem artichokes, wash well in cold water and slice into 5mm thick rounds.
Place a baking tray into a 180’C oven to heat up.
Once hot, add 50g butter to the tray along with a clove of garlic, a handful of thyme and your sliced artichokes. Roast until golden, soft and chewy.
Meanwhile shred ¼ gem lettuce, add to the roasting pan at the very end and toss to cook lightly. Set aside.
Grate 1/3 cup smoked cheddar and place to the side ready to go.
3: Can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs
Now that the majority of the graft is done it’s time to get down to business.
Crack 3 large eggs into a jug (scoop out the eggshell you accidentally dropped in), add 1 Tbsp fresh cream and a pinch of salt & pepper.
Using a stick blender, blitz the eggs until completely smooth (around 1 minute).
Turn your oven onto grill at max temp and allow it to heat up for about 5 minutes before you start.
Get your pan on a high heat until almost smoking hot (you need to instantly create a cooked surface on the eggs to protect the fluffy insides and stop it sticking).
4: Turn it up & turn it out
Now we cook. Add about 1 Tbsp of rapeseed oil or similar veg oil with a high smoke point and allow to heat for 5 seconds. Swirl (CAREFULLY) the oil around the pan to ensure the surface is coated, then pour in your eggs. It should start to bubble and form an even coating on the base of the pan.
Shake the pan gently to disperse the egg mix and turn down the heat to low as you add the fillings.
Evenly spread the warm artichokes and gem lettuce onto half of the omelette and sprinkle with 2/3 of the grated cheese.
Transfer to the grill for 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese and just set the top of your omelette.
Remove from the oven - it should be 90% cooked, and loosen the edges with your spatula.
Fold the topping-free half of the omelette over onto the other side, then smoothly slide the perfect half-circle of soft, fluffy goodness onto your warm plate. Alternatively just get it onto the plate by any means necessary. As long as you’re not charging for it - it’ll taste the same even it looks more like one of Picasso’s less famous abstracts.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and drizzle over a little good extra virgin olive oil.
Tuck in!
