Recipe: How to Make an Omelet

The Basic Omelet
Source: The Good Egg: More Than 200 Fresh Approaches from Soup to Dessert by Marie Simmons

A plain omelet made with two or three large eggs is the fastest meal on earth. I sometimes add a few tablespoons of water to my basic recipe to make the omelet a little fluffier, a French omelet is topped with a dab of softened butter before serving.

2 to 3 large eggs
2 tablespoons cold water Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus (optional)
1 teaspoon unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley, tarragon, chives, lemon thyme and/or savory (optional)
4 to 5 tablespoons warm or room-temperature filling (optional)

Combine the eggs, water, salt to taste and a grinding of pepper in a medium bowl and gently whisk or beat with a fork just until blended.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet with low, sloping sides over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the 1 tablespoon butter - it should sizzle and swirl to coat the pan. When the butter stops sizzling, pour the egg mixture into the center of the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook until the bottom is set, about 10 seconds. Using a heatproof flat-edged rubber spatula or wooden spoon, pull the set eggs at the edges of the pan toward the center, allowing the unset eggs to run from the center to the sides. Adjust the heat if necessary so the bottom does not brown, Continue cooking until the eggs are soft-set - just a thin layer of unset moist egg should be visible on the top of the omelet - adjusting the heat if necessary so the bottom does not brown. The total cooking time should be less than 2 minutes.

If adding herbs and/or filling, do so now: slide the pan oil the heat and sprinkle the herbs evenly over the surface of the omelet or spoon the filling over the third of the omelet surface closest to the handle. Using the spatula, fold the third of the omelet nearest the handle over the center third. Then, holding the pan by the handle, tilt it so that the omelet rolls out of the pan and onto a plate seam side down. Serve at once, topped with the 1 teaspoon butter, if using.

Makes 1 serving