Simple French Omelette Recipe

A simple and satisfying French omelette is a must in any cook’s repertoire. It takes only minutes to make, needs ingredients that you usually have to hand and can be filled with a variety of tasty vegetables or nothing at all according to your own tastes. Served with some salad and crusty white bread you have a fine lunch in minutes, with no trouble at all.

Much has been written about the importance of your omelette pan, which should be kept only for omelettes and never washed out with soap but just wiped clean. I find that a non-stick, all purpose pan of the right size does a perfect job, as long as you get it hot enough before you start.

Recipe for a French Omelette

Ingredients
Per omelette for 1 person
2 eggs
salt and pepper
knob of butter
filling of your choice – see below for suggestions

The ideal size for an omelette pan is about 22cm / 8inches with shallow, slightly curved sides to make it easy to slip out onto your plate when it’s done.

Get your filling ready before you start preparing the omelette. Most simple of all can be chopped fresh herbs including parsley. Grated cheese is next on the list of easy fillings. One of my favourite omelette fillings is mushrooms, sliced and fried in butter with plenty of black pepper. Otherwise your imagination is the limit – chopped ham and leeks, bacon, blue cheese – anything can go in an omelette as long as it is tasty.

When you are ready to eat, turn on the heat under the pan to high. Break the eggs into a bowl, add a grinding of salt and pepper and beat.

Hold your hand over the pan to make sure it is hot. Once it is, drop in the knob of butter, about the size of a walnut. It should sizzle madly and foam. Once the foam subsides and before the butter browns, it is time to pour in the beaten eggs. Immediately start drawing the cooked egg from the outside to the centre of the pan, allowing the liquid uncooked egg to run in and fill its place. Tip the pan slightly to help it. Go round the pan continuing with this until there is no more liquid egg left. Pile the filling in the middle of the omelette and as soon as the egg is cooked through to your liking, switch off the heat and fold the omelette over on itself then out onto a warm plate. Serve immediately

Feel like a more substantial meal than an omelette tonight? Try some delicious French cuisine at Le Mistral restaurant in Nottingham.