Omelets are one of my favorite breakfast foods. My Dad used to make them sometimes when I was a kid. He took his omelet making very seriously--he even had a special pan that he kept seasoned so the eggs would slide right out. That pan was, and STILL is a point of contention between my Dad and my Mom because he will season the pan, and without fail, she will use it, and put it in the dishwasher, so that he will have to season it all over again.
At any rate, omelets are not as daunting as they look. Of course I kind of cheat, and use a non-stick pan, because I am not brave enough to try making them in a regular pan like my Dad. Once you master making the eggs for your omelet, the sky is the limit as to the fillings you can add to it. So, I am going to break it down for you step by step.
I always make my filling before I make my eggs. This way, it is done, and my eggs won't be waiting. My favorite, filling is a mix of onion, garlic, red bell pepper, mushrooms, uncured ham, spinach, and tomato, and then top it with salsa and avocado. Sadly, I did not have any avocado.
For 1 omelet I use:
2 tsp ghee
2 oz uncured, sugar free, minimally processed ham (I use Applegate), chopped
1/4 cup of chopped red onion
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1/3 cup of chopped red/yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/2 roma tomato, diced
1 large handful of baby spinach, chiffonade (roll it up like a cigar and run a knife through it so it is cut into tiny "ribbons")
sea salt and pepper to taste
Heat ghee in skillet over med-high heat. Add ham, and sauté. When it starts to brown up, then add your onions, and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent, then add your mushrooms, and season with sea salt and pepper. Once your mushrooms begin to brown up a little add your bell pepper, and sauté for about a minute. (Please do not over cook your bell pepper, that's nasty.) Turn off your heat, and add the spinach and tomato, and toss together well.
Now onto the important part...The Eggs!
You will need:
10 inch non-stick skillet (unless you have a stainless steel omelet pan that is cured and ready to go.)
3 tsp of ghee
2 eggs
1 egg white
a pinch of sea salt
4 grinds of pepper
A small bowl
A whisk
A heat resistant spatula
1. Begin by preheating your broiler in your oven with the rack in the middle. (You don't want it too close to the element!)
2. Heat the ghee in your skillet over medium heat. While that is heating, whisk together your 2 whole eggs, 1 egg white, and sea salt and pepper.
3. Lift your pan and move it around to make sure the ghee coats the pan. Then set back on burner and pour in your eggs.
This is where it gets tricky, and my photography gets blurry...
4. Now that the eggs are in the pan, you will want to use your spatula to drag some of the eggs into the middle of the pan. As soon as you do this, you want to move the pan so that egg replaces the egg you moved away.
Continue to do this until the eggs begin to set. It makes for a thicker, fluffier omelet. At this point, your eggs should look like this...
It is at this point when the bottom is set, and the top is wet that you turn off your burner, and move your pan to under the broiler. (Please make sure that your pan is all metal...not plastic or wooden handles!
Close the oven door, and literally it will only take a minute, so stay there and watch it. See how it fluffs up?!
5. With a dish towel or pot holder, remove the pan from your oven. Take your spatula and run it around the edges of your eggs to loosen them up. They should slide around fairly easily in the pan.
6. Take your filling and place on 1/2 of the eggs, then very gingerly slide your spatula under the opposite side and fold the eggs over.
7. Carefully shake the pan to make sure the omelet will slide around, and then carefully slide it onto your plate. I then top mine with salsa.
That's it. Truly, it only takes a few minutes to make, but it looks and tastes like a special breakfast. Go forth and try your new skill. Your family will thank you!
**Should you decide to add cheese to your omelet, you can do this as you pull it out of the broiler. It will melt, and give a grip to your filling.
