In Dawn’s kitchen: Successful omelettes
The secret to a successful omelette is the pan! Invest in a good, thick aluminium non-stick omelette pan of about 18cm in diameter, and keep it only for this purpose.
Once you’ve purchased a pan, wash it well, dry it, and cover the bottom with a little cooking oil. Leave overnight, and then heat the oil to frying point.
Remove the pan from the heat, pour off the excess oil, and wipe the pan with a paper towel.
Do not wash the pan again. After each use, simply wipe it out with a damp cloth or a paper towel that has been dipped in a little salt.
To make an omelette, heat the pan on medium heat and place two tablespoons of butter in it, to melt.
Break four eggs into a clean bowl, and beat well with a fork.
Add one tablespoon of cold milk, and season to taste. Please the mixture in the pan immediately, and leave for 20 seconds to set.
Lift up the edge of the omelette to allow any remaining raw egg on the top to run underneath and cook.
Once set, tilt the pan to one side, and omelette should slide out on to your plate.
Omelettes are always more delicious with a filling. Try out the following suggestions:
Herb omelette: Add one tablespoon of finely chopped mixed fresh herbs like chives, thyme, parsley and tarragon to the mixture before pouring into the pan.
Cheese omelette: Cook the omelette, and just before removing it from the pan, sprinkle grated cheddar cheese over the omelette. Fold over and serve.
Mushroom omelette: Saute a few sliced mushrooms in a little butter in a clean saucepan. In a cup, mix two teaspoons of flour with three tablespoons of chicken stock to form a smooth paste. Once the mushrooms are cooked, add this paste and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, season to taste, and place on the cooked omelette. Fold over and serve.
Bacon and potato omelette: Dice two medium-size potatoes, finely slice three spring onions, and dice a few bacon strips. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a clean saucepan, and fry all of this together for eight to 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the bacon cooked through. As soon as the omelette comes out of the pan, spoon the cooked mixture over the top, fold over and serve.
Enjoy!
