THAT HUMP ON THE PLATE ISN’T MEAT
Rules, like eggs, are meant to be broken.
Sorry for the late post; internet service down again. Sigh.
I’m not giving you the preparation for the involved, multi-prep omelet as promised yesterday. Not because I’m not good on my word, because I don’t want to needlessly overwhelm those who are new at this cooking business. I want you to be successful. Let’s slow it down a little and take it one step at a time. Today’s preparation, then, is for a simple omelet. You’ll have the fancier, aforementioned omelet before too long. Believe me, I want you to have it because it is absolutely fantastic.
BUT FIRST THINGS FIRST
This one is a light dish and perfect for vegetarian friends (don’t we all have at least one?). Vegetarians are always impressed when their carnivorous amigos eschew meat, even for one meal. And when served with a crusty loaf of whole grain bread and some good olive oil, a side dish of vegetable like Zucchini Primo or Steamed Asparagus, you can’t go wrong. With dessert and coffee it’s a late lunch or a light dinner no one can argue with.
Omelets are quick, easy and versatile. You can put almost anything inside – whatever you have in your refrigerator or pantry – for a few dollars a serving. Don’t believe me?
Let’s digress here a little and do some math on the OMELET ENTRÉE:
INGREDIENT & PRICEÂ COST/SERVING
Goat Cheese $2.49/4 oz    $1.25
Eggs $3/doz                    .75
Mushrooms $1/.25 lb           .50
Butter $2/lb                          .13
Cream $1.49/half-pt           .12
Green onion $.35/bnch       .07
Black pepper $2/6 oz          .01
TOTALS $12.58 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $2.83
You can make two omelets without buying more of anything, so two entrées pencil out at $5.66. If you bought all of these ingredients at once, they would come to less than $13, and you’ll have things in your pantry (everything but the goat cheese if you’re making two servings) for next time. Where can you get such a good price on an entrée? No dining establishment – fast or slow – in any town in this country can match it!
ON WITH THE OMELET!
It’s not hard, it just takes watching over. No running to the living room to catch Who Wants to be a Millionaire? after you’ve begun. Use two or three eggs per omelet, depending upon your appetite. You can use four eggs and split the finished product in half to serve two, insuring that both can be served once. But an omelet is generally easier to handle with fewer eggs, and it will cook more quickly.
Sauté whatever vegetables you’ve selected, and this can be just about anything you like. For good flavor, add something from the onion family: green onions or shallots are good because they cook quickly, garlic, too; any kind of mushroom is good; and any kind of cheese. For delicate flavor: goat cheese, feta or havarti; for a more robust: brie, reggiano or cheddar (yawn). But seriously, do try something other than cheddar. Get thee to the cheese counter and try a half-dozen varieties before deciding what you like. Sauté the vegetables until they are done, then focus on the egg. You want the vegs to be ready when the omelet is. Eggs wait for no one!
THE SKILLET HAS TO BE HOT
After melting the butter, watch for it to get good and bubbly before adding the egg mixture. Pour in the egg mixture – it should sizzle a little - swirling the pan to coat it evenly. As the egg cooks, lift up an edge of the set egg and let the uncooked egg fill in. It will only take a few minutes for the egg to set. Begin to shake the skillet back and forth to loosen it from the bottom of the pan. If you’ve not preheated it, the egg will stick to the pan and you’ll have more scrambled eggs than omelet.
When the bottom is loose and the top still moist but set enough so that you can fold it without egg spilling out, spoon the sautéed vegetables down the center and add the cheese Fold one side of the omelet over the vegs and then fold over the other side. After a minute, with a long spatula, lift the omelet out of the skillet onto the plate. As you get more confident, you can slide it out of the pan. It helps to have a skillet with sloping sides.
So there you have a meal in a few minutes with fresh ingredients for a few dollars per person. Simply satisfying. Now go eat!
