When Ilana Met Pantry: Dancing Omelettes

The sun came back! After yesterday's downpour, the heavens are finally blue and therefore my mood has changed to the better! I woke up this morning with the thought that I really wanted a nice and simple breakfast to start the day off right. I naturally turned to CL's Toast chapter.

12. A basic omelette - *Toast*
13. Cheese and Tomato Omelette- *Toast*

With regard to the omelettes in the book, Tom writes that the best time to make them are when one's alone and hungry, and naturally a weekend breakfast when one's in the mood. Well I was alone (Rafa's buggered off to work!), I was hungry, and it's the weekend!

You may ask yourself now why on earth I would make two omelettes if I was alone. Well before an intervention was called for my omelette addiction, here is where I introduce the unique part of this project. Many times, one recipe is impossible to make before another is made to completion. Such is the case with the two omelettes above. The Cheese and Tomato is an addition to the Basic, so basically this is a 2 for 1 type of recipe.

When I first got CL from my lovely friend, Meg, I was a bit apprehensive at all the omelette recipes. Even though I occasionally ate an odd omelette or two, I wouldn't classify them as my FAVORITE brekkie items... My, has my opinion of them changed just a few minutes ago!

The Basic Omelette is an introduction to the way Tom makes his omelettes! He indicates that a good omelette pan for one serving (2 eggs!) would measure 15 cm. The smallest pan I have is 20 cm, which he says is best for a two-person omelette or 4 eggs! Now I love eggs, don't get me wrong, but I value my life and didn't think eating 4 eggs in a row for breakfast would be the healthiest option. So I sacrificed aesthetics for health, and decided I'd rather get a flatter omelette than a coronary at age 40!

Ok so on to the omelette making. Tom asks to warm a tablespoon of butter over moderate heat until it starts to fizz. While this was going on, I broke a couple of eggs into a small bowl, added a pinch of salt and pepper, and 'cut' the eggs with a knife, taking care not to beat them. Then I took the excess fizzing butter and poured it into the bowl, folding it in carefully. I returned the pan to a high heat for a few seconds, and then added my eggs. This is when my eggs started 'dancing'. Tom is smart about omelettes, among many many other things I have come to realize this past week! He says that since the pan is hot, the eggs 'dance' and this shows that the non-stick is working properly. 'It's about the heat of the pan as much as anything else.'

A basic omelette -- dancing!

After doing a bit of dancing, the omelette starts to set with the top still a bit runny. It is then cooked for another minute or two, and Tom advises to leave the omelette this way. The formula to a greater omelette with a richer center is to leave it only just set. I realized then that this is probably the reason why I didn't like omelettes -- they were simply too dry for me.

Once the top was setting, I moved on to the second recipe for his Jazzed-Up omelette. I guess if this book was published for an American audience, this section would be called Pimped-Out Omelettes?? Well my pimped-out omelette consisted of a topping of grated poorman'sgrana and a chopped, seeded tomato. This was added at the last minute of setting. Tom likes to add basil over the top for a 'favourite summer breakfast.' We all know my disdain over basil at the present moment, so I decided to add oregano for added color and flavor. Couldn't have been a better combination, IMHO!