How to Make the Perfect Omelet

• by Trent
• Also try: Mahalo's Guide to Omelets

Introduction

• Legend has it that while camping outside the French town Bessieres, Napoleon tried a local innkeeper's new dish—an omelet. Bonaparte was so impressed that he ordered the people of Bessieres to collect all the eggs in the village to prepare one large omelet for his men.

• Making an omelet is fairly straightforward. Once you know the basic principles of how to prepare the egg, adding the ingredients is at your discretion.

Step 1: What you will need

A medium-sized non-stick skillet. Photo by Mahalo.

1. A stove (you can't cook an omelet without it).
2. A medium/large non-stick skillet.
3. One spatula for working the eggs.
4. One fork or egg beater to whisk the eggs.
5. One bowl for mixing the eggs.
6. Oil (canola or olive), cooking spray (PAM) or butter.
7. 3 eggs are the preferred amount. You will be safe with anywhere between 2 and 4.
8. Milk is optional.
9. Ingredients to fill your omelet. Cheese, ham, onion, tomato, bell peppers, sausage, bacon and mushroom are popular.
10. Ingredients that are placed on top of the omelet once it has been cooked, such as salsa, avocado, sour cream and cilantro.

Step 2: Preparing the food

Three eggs, cheese, green onion, mushrooms and ham are just some of the ingredients you can use. Photo by Mahalo.

• Get all of your ingredients ready before you turn on the stove. This will make cooking your omelet much easier.

1. Break the eggs and place them in your bowl. Add milk if desired (this makes the eggs fluffier).
2. Take your fork or egg beater and whisk the eggs until the yolk has been broken.
3. For a fluffier omelet, whisk the eggs more than usual. The more you whisk the eggs, the more air gets in them. The more air you have in your eggs, the fluffier they will be.
4. Grate your cheese.
5. Cut up all of your vegetables and prepare any meat you will be putting in your omelet.

Step 3: Start cooking

• There are two basic philosophies when it comes to cooking an omelet. One is the 'flip', while the other utilizes the 'fold'. The first eight steps are virtually the same; then they branch out.

Saute your ingredients. Photo by Mahalo.

Spread the egg evenly across the pan surface. Photo by Mahalo.

1. Turn on the stove to medium/high.
2. Coat the skillet with either the oil, spray or butter and place onto the stove.
3. Wait for the skillet to get hot and add any vegetables/meat. This is a must if you plan on using the 'flip' technique. If you plan on doing the 'fold' method you can pre-cook your meat and veggies or you can add them in prior to the fold.
4. Use your spatula to help stir the ingredients. You won't have to do this for long because they will still be cooking once you add your egg.
5. After a minute or so, add the egg.
6. With your spatula, push the egg from the outer edge of the skillet toward the center. This allows the runny egg on top to spread out to open skillet space and cook.
7. You can also tilt the pan so that the egg runs to open areas.
8. Continue to do this until the egg starts to turn white and the edges get a little crispy.

• Now you need to decide whether to use the "flip" technique or the "fold" technique.

The 'flip' technique

• The 'flip' technique is flashy, fun and all in the wrist. It might take a few flips to perfect, but it's worth a try. Remember, if you want to make an omelet, you will have to break a few eggs. In this case, if you want to flip an omelet, you will have to deal with a potential misfire. At any rate, a successful flip is almost as satisfying as the omelet itself.

• picking up where we left off.....

1. If the egg is stuck to the pan, add a touch of oil to the edge of the skillet and let it run down between the egg and the pan to provide lubrication.
2. Take the skillet off of the fire and move the omelet around so that you know it isn't stuck.
3. Now you are ready to flip. Very quickly, draw the skillet toward you and then in a sudden sharp movement thrust the pan away from you and flip the egg pancake. Hopefully, the eggs flipped and landed runny-side down. Because the eggs have been cooking, they won't need much more time on the skillet.
4. Once you have flipped the eggs, place your cheese in the middle so it can start to melt.
5. When you think that it's done, fold the egg into a semicircle with your spatula and slide it out of the skillet and onto your plate.
6. Garnish the top of your omelet with whatever you wish. More cheese, salsa, sour cream and avocado work very well.

The 'fold' technique

• The 'fold' technique is the preferred method of omelet-making. It is safer than flipping the egg, but not as risky, showy or fun.

Dig in! Photo by Mahalo

• Picking up from right before the flip.

1. Now that the edges are a little crispy, add your cheese and any other veggies/meat on top of one side of the eggs.
2. With your spatula, fold the other side of the eggs over so that it covers the ingredients and makes a semi-circle.
3. Let cook for 30 seconds to one minute.
4. Take your spatula and run it under your omelet to make sure it is not stuck to the skillet.
5. Now you can slide it off the skillet and onto your plate.
6. If you have toppings, this is the time to add them.
7. Enjoy your new culinary creation!!

Step 4: Types of omelets

• Omelets are universal and there are hundreds of different ways to prepare them. Here are some of the most popular omelets on the market.

1. The Denver omelet, AKA the Western omelet. A very basic, yet scrumptious blend of diced ham, onions and bell peppers. Cheese is optional.
2. The Spanish omelet. A little bit of prep work will be involved for this one. Fried potatoes and finely diced onions are the main ingredients. Garlic and cheese are optional.
3. If an egg has too much cholesterol and fat for your tastes, try an egg white omelet. An egg white omelet is very popular and healthy. Egg white omelets can be prepared the same way that most other omelets are—just without the yolk.
4. For all you chili connoisseurs out there, the chili omelet is the only way to eat an omelet.
5. If the chili omelet isn't for you, you can try the Tex-Mex omelet (green and red peppers, green chiles, black olives and jack cheese) or a gazpacho omelet (avocado, tomato, onion, cucumber and jack cheese).
6. An interesting type of omelet is the frittata. A frittata is an Italian style omelet that is partially cooked on a skillet, then placed in the oven leaving it open-faced. There are many variations of frittatas, but the basic ingredients include vegetables, meat and cheese.
7. For people on the left coast, bacon, avocado and cheddar with salsa on top epitomizes the California omelet.

Resources for How to Make the Perfect Omelet

• • Mahalo's Guide to Omelets
• Wikipedia: Omelet
• Know Your Ingredient: Eggs
• Mr. Breakfast: All Recipes For Omelet's
• Texas Cooking: Break a Few Eggs: Making an Omelet
• Wikipedia: Frittata
• USA Weekend: Frittatas: If you've got eggs, you've got dinner