Country Omelet Recipes

COUNTRY-STYLE OMELET

Steps:

• Whisk the eggs until frothy and season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the ham and scallions and cook until the ham is browned and warmed through, then remove to a plate.
• Wipe the pan out and place it back over the heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and swirl around until melted, then add the eggs. Using a rubber spatula, move the outside edges of the eggs inward as they begin to set up. Continue to cook until the eggs are set and begin to get some color. Sprinkle the ham and cheese evenly over the surface of the eggs. When ready to serve, fold the omelet in half and slide out on to a plate.

PERFECT OMELET

Steps:

• Beat the eggs: Soak 3 large eggs for 5 minutes in hot-not scalding-tap water. This will ensure that the omelet cooks faster, and the faster an omelet cooks, the more tender it's going to be. Crack the eggs into a small bowl or large bowl-shaped coffee mug. Season with a pinch of fine salt. Beat the eggs gently with a fork.
• TIP: I prefer a fork to a whisk for omelets because I don't want to work air into the eggs: Air bubbles are insulators and can slow down cooking if you're not careful.
• Heat the pan: Heat a 10-inch nonstick saute pan over medium to high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon room-temperature unsalted butter. Once melted, spread the butter around the pan with a basting brush to ensure coverage.
• TIP: Heat your pan empty for a few minutes before adding the butter: Even a nonstick surface is pocked with microscopic pores that eggs can fill and grab hold of. Heat expands the metal, squeezing these openings shut.
• Add the eggs: Pour the eggs into the center of the pan and stir vigorously with a silicone spatula for 5 seconds. (Actually, it's not so much a matter of stirring with the spatula as holding the spatula relatively still and moving the pan around to stir the eggs.)
• Let them cook: As soon as curds begin to form (that's the stuff that looks like scrambled eggs), lift the pan and tilt it around until the excess liquid pours off the top of the curds and into the pan. Then use the spatula to shape the edge and make sure the omelet isn't sticking. Move the spatula around the edge of the egg mixture to help shape it into a round and loosen the edge. Then walk away. That's right-let that omelet sit unaccosted for 10 long seconds so it can develop a proper outer crust. Don't worry: Your patience will be rewarded.
• Finish the omelet: Time for the "jiggle" step: Simply shake the pan gently to make sure the omelet is indeed free of the pan. Lift up the far edge of the pan and snap it back toward you. Then use the spatula to fold over the one-third facing you.
• Change your grip on the pan handle from an overhand to an underhand and move to the plate, which you might want to lube with just a brief brushing of butter to make sure things don't bind up in transit. Slide the one-third farthest from you onto the plate and then ease the fold over. Imagine that you're making a tri-fold wallet out of eggs-because that's exactly what you're doing. And just ease the pan over. There, that wasn't so hard.

COUNTRY FRENCH OMELET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch ovenproof omelet pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 3 to 5 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is browned but not crisp. Take the bacon out of the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
• Place the potatoes in the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until very tender and browned, tossing occasionally to brown evenly. Remove with a slotted spoon to the same plate with the bacon.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the eggs, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together with a fork. After the potatoes are removed, pour the fat out of the pan and discard. Add the butter, lower the heat to low, and pour the eggs into the hot pan. Sprinkle the bacon, potatoes, and chives evenly over the top and place the pan in the oven for about 8 minutes, just until the eggs are set. Slide onto a plate, divide in half, and serve hot.

COUNTRY OMELET

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a nonstick skillet until hot but not smoking. Add the onions and potatoes and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring the mixture every 3 to 4 minutes. Arrange the tomato slices so they cover most of the surface of the potato-and-onion mixture, cover, and cook for 1 minute.
• Meanwhile, break the eggs into a bowl, add the chives, salt and pepper, and mix together with a fork. Add the egg mixture to the skillet and stir gently with the tines of the fork for about 1 minute to allow the eggs to flow between the potatoes. Then place the skillet under a hot broiler, 3 or 4 inches from the heat, and cook for about 3 minutes, until eggs are set.
• Invert onto a platter, cut into wedges and serve.

COUNTRY FRESH OMELET ( INA GARTEN BACK TO BASICS)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch ovenproof omelet pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 3 to 5 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is browned but not crisp. Take the bacon out of the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
• Place the potatoes in the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until very tender and browned, tossing occasionally to brown evenly. Remove with a slotted spoon to the same plate with the bacon.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the eggs, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together with a fork. After the potatoes are removed, pour the fat out of the pan and discard. Add the butter, lower the heat to low, and pour the eggs into the hot pan. Sprinkle the bacon, potatoes, and chives evenly over the top and place the pan in the oven for about 8 minutes, just until the eggs are set.
• Slide onto a plate, divide in half, and serve hot.
• NOTE: to double per Ina ,"If you want to serve four people, double the recipe and make it in two pans.".

COUNTRY OVEN OMELET

Steps:

• In a skillet, saute 1/2 cup onion in oil. Add hash browns, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until hash browns are thawed. Press mixture into an ungreased 10-in. pie plate, forming a shell. , Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the beef, peppers and remaining onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in parsley. Spoon into the potato shell. Sprinkle with cheese. , In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, paprika and remaining salt and pepper; pour over meat mixture. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

COUNTRY OMELET

Steps:

• Preheat broiler to a moderate heat.
• In a skillet heat 1 T butter and the olive oil; add diced ham and sausages and saute for about 2 minutes over medium heat until lightly browned.
• Remove ham and sausages and reserve.
• Add potato to pan; saute until soft and golden brown.
• Combine eggs with parsley and green onion; season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in ham and sausages.
• Pour egg mixture into pan.
• Blend quickly with the potato and cook over moderate heat, shaking the pan a few times to prevent sticking.
• When the edge of the omelette starts to set, put the remaining butter on the edge of the omelette and tilt pan to let butter flow around it.
• After about 2 minutes, sprinkle omelet with grated cheese, put pan under a medium broiler to brown the top and melt the cheese.