egg- puffy omelette, goat cheese
t=teaspoon T=tablespoon
These recipes are for your personal use only and may not be added in any form to archives other works.
Puffy Omelette with Goat (or Feta) Cheese
This very quick, simple omelette is made with the egg whites slightly beaten,
producing a moist but slightly puffy omelette. Use goat or feta cheese for
a delicious change. The secret to a good omelette is the timing and enough
butter. And sharp shakes of the pan!
serves 2
pre-heat upper heating element (grill) of the oven - or forgo this and see note below
4 fresh eggs, separated, free range, of course is best!
4 T. crumbled goat or feta cheese
pinch of salt, white pepper or paprika
butter
(optional: chopped chives or chopped mixed tender herbs)
Crumble the cheese and set aside. Place plates on the lower part of the oven to keep warm.
Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and and the whites in a very clean, deep bowl. Beat the yolks until lemony.
In the meantime heat a large, heavy bottomed pan and melt the butter over medium heat.
Beat the whites until a little frothy, add a pinch of salt and beat until thick but just under the soft peak stage.
Gently fold the yolks into the whites with a large spoon. When the butter is frothy, pile the egg mass onto the center of the butter, smoothing quickly to the edge of the pan but tilting the pan slightly as you smooth to carry the butter around the edge. Sharply shake the pan once or twice to ensure it doesn't adhere.
Raise the heat a little and moving a fork lightly back and forth into the mass in a light movement as if scrambling eggs, cook until slightly set on the bottom but wet on the top. Distribute the cheese (and chives if using) and quickly season with pepper or paprika and give it another shake.
Look to ensure that the underside of the omelette does not take on colour, but remains pale and the top is very wet. Place under the grill for a few seconds until the surface isn't quite so shiny, but is still 'wet'. Alternatively, you can cover the pan for a moment - this only takes a few seconds.
Timing is everything. Watch so that the surface doesn't 'cook'. Once you fold the omelette and until you serve it - yes, even those few moments - it will continue to cook. It is very easy to produce a dry, overcooked omelette. The difference between a successful, moist omelette and a bad one is seconds.
Remove immediately and shake the pan again. Using two spatulas gently but quickly fold the omelette two or three times to form a fat roll.
Cut into two if you like and slide each half onto warmed plates.
Serve immediately (meaning your guest/s seated at the table) with thick slices of fried tomatoes drizzled with Pesto, grilled long green peppers (aka Italian peppers) and olives on the side.
Note: don't be put off by the generous use of butter. It serves as a tasty lubricant and heat conductor and the omelette will not absorb all of it anyway. Far better for you than the artificial, hydrogenated, most-likely-already-rancid spray stuff or other imitation plastic fats. After all, you probably don't eat omelettes daily nor use butter lavishly on a likewise daily basis. Enjoy it guilt-free now and again. Drink lots of water and balance the enjoyed food luxuries now and again with a more frugal day or two.
Tip: the
light scrambling movement in the begining is the secret to a creamy (but still
puffy) omellet.
All recipes are excerpts from "Welcome to My Kitchen" - The Epicurean Table and are copyright of the author. Recipes are not to be
added to any form of archive or other works of any kind. Contact the author for further information.
The Epicurean Table © 1999-2006 Patricia Conant