Classic Western Omelet

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •8 or 9-inch nonstick skillet
• •Heatproof rubber spatula
• •Small mixing bowl
• •Fork for beating eggs

Instructions

1. 1

   Beat the eggs properly

   Crack the eggs into a small bowl. Add the milk, salt, and pepper. Beat with a fork until the whites and yolks are completely unified, about thirty vigorous strokes. You should see no streaks of white. Lift the fork and let the mixture fall back into the bowl. It should look like pale yellow cream.

   Water instead of milk creates a slightly lighter omelet. Milk adds richness. Both work beautifully.
2. 2

   Cook the filling

   Melt one tablespoon of butter in an 8 or 9-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the ham, peppers, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent and the peppers soften, about three minutes. The ham should develop light golden edges. Listen for a gentle sizzle, not an aggressive sputter.

   Don't crowd the pan. A single layer of filling cooks evenly. Piled-up vegetables steam rather than sauté.
3. 3

   Transfer and prepare the pan

   Scrape the filling onto a small plate and set it within arm's reach. You'll need to work quickly once the eggs hit the pan. Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel if needed. Return it to the burner over medium-low heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter.

4. 4

   Test the butter

   Watch the butter melt and foam. When the foam begins to subside but before the butter browns, tilt the pan to coat the entire surface. Drop a tiny bit of egg mixture into the pan. It should set gently without sizzling aggressively. If it sputters and spits, your pan is too hot. Remove it from the heat for thirty seconds.

   More omelets are ruined by high heat than by any other mistake. Patience costs nothing and delivers everything.
5. 5

   Pour and stir the eggs

   Pour the beaten eggs into the center of the pan. Let them sit undisturbed for about ten seconds until the edges just begin to set. Then, using a heatproof rubber spatula, gently push the cooked edges toward the center while tilting the pan to let uncooked egg flow underneath. Work your way around the pan in a circular motion. The surface should look like soft, creamy curds forming in a sea of liquid egg.

6. 6

   Add filling and cheese

   When the top is still slightly wet but no longer liquid (this happens faster than you expect), stop stirring. Sprinkle the cheese across one half of the omelet, then scatter the warm filling over the cheese. The residual heat from the filling helps melt the cheese. Let the omelet cook undisturbed for another fifteen to twenty seconds.

7. 7

   Fold and plate

   Tilt the pan toward your serving plate at a 45-degree angle. Using the spatula, fold the unfilled half of the omelet over the filling. Let gravity help slide the omelet onto the plate, folding it into a half-moon shape as it lands. The exterior should be pale gold with no brown spots. The seam should rest on the bottom.

   If your first omelet tears or folds imperfectly, eat it anyway. It will taste the same. The second one will be better.
8. 8

   Finish and serve

   Rub a small piece of cold butter across the top of the omelet if you want that diner shine. Serve immediately. An omelet waits for no one, not even the cook. The inside should be creamy, the filling warm, the cheese stretched between every bite.

Chef Tips

• •Use ham with character. Smoked country ham or a good Black Forest ham will outperform those thin, wet slices from the deli counter. If you can, dice a small steak of ham rather than using pre-sliced.
• •Room temperature eggs beat more uniformly and cook more evenly than cold eggs straight from the refrigerator. Pull them out while you prep the vegetables.
• •A well-seasoned carbon steel pan works as well as nonstick, but nonstick removes one variable from the equation. Use what gives you confidence.
• •For a crowd, cook the filling in larger batches and keep it warm in a low oven. Make omelets to order. They only take two minutes once you have the rhythm.

Advance Preparation

• •The ham, peppers, and onions can be diced the night before and refrigerated in a covered container. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
• •For weekend brunch with multiple omelets, cook and hold all the filling warm in a 200°F oven while you make omelets to order.
• •Cheese can be shredded up to two days ahead and stored refrigerated in an airtight container.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 295g)