Omelette

“ You have taken it out of my power to display my skill in salad-making; but now, if you are a generous victor, you will give me an opportunity to distinguish myself in the confection of an omelet. It is an omelet of my own invention, a sort of cross between the ordinary omelette-au-vin of the French and the Italian zabaiano, I shall require the use of that chafing dish and spirit-lamp which I see yonder on the sideboard, the sherry decanter, and half a dozen eggs. I can promise your palates a delectable experience; and you, Miss Denary, by watching me, will acquire an invaluable talent. ”

“ Her reputation as the best omelette maker in England might be at stake, yet she never hesitated more than a second at the kitchen door before she thrust her head inside, bidding the serving-wench put aside kettle-scrubbing, and see to the execution of Sir Stephen's order.
La! there would be some swearing upstairs unless Jenny could rise to the occasion beyond expectations. But what signified a burnt omelette compared with the business in hand?
Mollie, rosier than ever with haste, stood at the parlour door. ”

“ It is better to make several omelettes, especially because people are not apt to come to the table all at once, and an omelette to be nice must be eaten directly it is cooked. Say three eggs; break them into a cup or bowl; add to them a saltspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and mix them just enough to thoroughly break the whites and yolks together. Put over the fire a frying pan with a heaping teaspoonful of butter in it. Let the butter get hot. If you like an omelette brown let the butter begin to brown. ”

“ This recipe had been given Frau Schmidt years before by a friend and she used no other for making omelette. Always make small omelettes. They are more satisfactory. Use a small pan no larger than a small tea plate, and, if wished, make two small, rather than one large one. Always serve immediately.
MUSHROOM OMELETTE
Place the yolks of three eggs in a bowl and beat until light. Add a teaspoonful of cream and 1⁄2 teaspoonful of flour mixed together; 1⁄2 cup of chopped mushrooms, salt and pepper and a dust of baking powder. Lastly, the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs. ”

“ The frying-pan should not be too large, as an omelette should always be rather thick. About six or eight eggs will make an omelette of the ordinary size, and about two ounces of butter will be required for frying it. Other omelettes may be made by omitting the herbs, and adding mushrooms cut very small, or mushroom-powder, grated ham, grated cheese, or, in fact, any other substance that may be thought desirable.
Dr. Hunter gives the following receipt for a Potato omelette. Take three ounces of potatoes mashed, and add to them the yolks of five eggs, and the whites of three. ”

“ How to make Omelettes.—There is no great difficulty in making omelettes, and as they may be expeditiously prepared and served they are a convenient resource when an extra dish is required at short notice; care should be taken to beat the eggs only until they are light, to put the omelette into a well heated and buttered pan, and never to turn it in the pan, as this flattens and toughens it; if the pan be large, and only three or four eggs be used in making the omelette, the pan should be tipped and held by the handle so that the eggs will cook in a small space upon one side of it ”

“ Savoury Omelette.—When the art of making a plain omelette has been acquired, it is easy to ring the changes of variety. The additions that transform it into a savoury are, minced chives (or shallots) , chervil, tarragon and parsley; in France this is called an omelette aux fines herbes. Four eggs would be needed to make one of a sufficient size for a dinner. Beat these on a plate with a knife and add the salt and pepper to them, also a very little milk. Pour into the omelette pan when the butter is beginning to turn colour, as the right point of heat has much to do with the ultimate success. ”

“ Esculent qualities Of the esculent qualities of the larger species, Lycoperdon giganteum, we may judge from the statement of a connoisseur: "Sliced and seasoned in butter and salt, and fried in the pan, no French omelette is half as good in richness and delicacy of flavor." M. C. Cooke, the British authority, says of it: "In its young and pulpy condition it is excellent eating, and indeed has but few competitors for the place of honor at the table." ”

“ Omelette Souflé à la vanille.— Stir the yolks of 9 eggs with 3 tablespoonfuls sugar to a cream; add a little salt, 1 teaspoonful vanilla extract and 6 macaroons pounded fine; add lastly the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth; place an omelet or large fryingpan with butter over the fire; when hot put in 1⁄3 the egg mixture, shake the pan a little to and fro and bake the omelet to a delicate brown; have ready a buttered dish, turn the omelet into it, with the brown side up, set in the oven and bake another omelet the same way; lay the omelet on top of the one in dish, with brown side up ”

“ Omelette. 3 eggs, 3 tablespoonsful of cream or 3 scant tablespoonsful of milk, 1 tablespoonful of chopped parsley, 1 even teaspoonful of butter, salt and pepper. Beat yolks until they are thick and lemon colored. Beat whites very stiff. Beat into the yolks the milk, parsley and seasoning. Fall the whites into the yolks. Do not stir them in. Grease hot omelette pan with the one teaspoon of butter, pour in the eggs, shake the pan to keep them from burning. When omelette is light brown on the bottom, place in oven until top is dry enough to show most of knife run through it. ”

“ The omelette’s great merit is to be thick, so as not to taste of the outside; therefore use only half the number of whites that you do yelks of eggs: every care must be taken in frying, even at the risk of not having it quite set in the middle: an omelette, which has so much vogue abroad, is here, in general, a thin doubled-up piece of leather, and harder than soft leather sometimes. The fact is, that as much care must be bestowed on the frying, as should be taken in poaching an egg. A salamander is necessary to those who will have the top brown ”

“ Omelets may contain bacon, ham, herbs, fish, shell-fish, cold meat, cold game, fruit, or anything else at hand at the pleasure of the cook. ‘Spirit omelets’ are made by pouring a little brandy, rum, or whisky over them on serving them up, and setting it on fire for a moment just before placing the dish on the table. “Where is the man or woman cook but says they know how to make an omelette, and that to perfection? ”

“ Always remember that the success of an omelette depends upon the quickness with which it is made and served; because, in the first place, you make it light by beating air into it; then, of course, the heat expands the air, and that makes the omelette still lighter ”

“ One of the great errors in cooking an omelette is, that it is too thin; consequently, instead of feeling full and moist in the mouth, the substance presented is little better than a piece of fried leather: to get the omelette thick is one of the great objects. ”

“ Take a broad-bladed knife and keep rolling the omelet as it sets; do not let it get too brown, but roll it in an oblong shape; never turn an omelet over, but push and roll it, as described, then slide it on a hot dish, pour a spoonful of melted butter over it, and send it to table hot. A wood fire is the best, over which to cook an omelet, as you want only a blaze; a great heat in the stove makes it impossible to have the eggs of the light delicate brown required. ”

“ Some practice is required to make the plain omelet to perfection, as the art consists in folding the omelet just at the right moment, before the eggs used in them are too much set. The omelet should not be firm throughout, like a pancake, but should be moist and succulent in the middle. A very sharp fire is essential, and the omelet should not take more than three minutes in the making.
Steamed Soufflée. Ingredients—1 oz. of butter. 1 oz. of flour. 1⁄4 pint of milk. 4 eggs. 2 dessertspoonfuls of castor sugar. ”

“ When it comes to an omelet for dessert, nothing can be better than an omelet stuffed with preserves or fresh fruit. If preserves are used, there’s a wide range from which to select, and any taste can be satisfied. Fill it with currant jelly, or apricot or grapefruit marmalade, or any other fruit that you like. In almost any case a little grated lemon peel and a handful of chopped almonds will be an improvement. After the omelet is dished it should always be sprinkled with finely powdered sugar. ”

“ If you wish it very thick have three sweetbreads.
While frying the omelet, lift the edge occasionally by slipping a knife-blade under it, that the butter may get well beneath.
If the omelets are cooked too much they will become tough, and leather-like. Many persons prefer having them sent to table as soft omelets, before they have set, or taken the form of a cake. In this case, serve up the omelet in a deep dish, and help it with a spoon. ”

“ Bread and baked omelets may be served with gravies, sweet sauces or jelly, or with green peas or asparagus, or may have corn, peas, etc., mixed with omelet before baking. They may be made of milk, cream or water. Water makes the lightest and most delicate omelets. Stale, not dry, crumbs are used.
Baked Omelet 2 eggs 1⁄2 teaspn. flour 2 tablespns. water 1 teaspn. oil salt
Beat all together or beat the whites of eggs separately, and bake in a slow oven until set. Fold or serve without folding. A few chopped nuts may be added when desired. ”

“ Omelets may be made in a great variety of ways, the kind depending not upon a difference in mixing [157] the eggs, but upon the ingredients which are added. Spanish omelet is ordinary omelet with onion. Truffles, mushrooms, chopped oysters, rum, and tomato make other varieties. Flour should never be used in them, as it cannot be properly cooked in the short time that should be given to the eggs. If it should happen that an omelet is to be made, and there is no milk at hand, water may be substituted, but an omelet should never be made without one or the other. ”

“ Omelets may be made in this manner, of smoked tongue, or oysters chopped, cold sweetbread, asparagus minced, boiled onions, mushrooms, &c. A good allowance for a small omelet is the above proportion of eggs and lard, or fresh butter; and a large tea-cup of the seasoning article, which must always have been previously cooked.
They are much lighter when served up of their [245] full size, and not folded over in halfs. A large omelet must have from eight to ten, or a dozen eggs. It is best to bake all omelets of the six egg size, and have more in number if required. ”

“ A plain French omelet is, perhaps, one of the most difficult of all things to make; that is, it is the most difficult to have well made in the ordinary private house. Failures come from beating the eggs until they are too light, or having the butter too hot, or cooking the omelet too long before serving.
In large families, where it is necessary to use a dozen eggs, two omelets will be better than one. A six-egg omelet is quite easily handled. Do not use milk; it toughens the eggs and gives an unpleasant flavor to the omelet. ”

“ A Quaker omelet is a handsome and sure dish when care is taken in the preparation. Three eggs, half a cupful of milk, one and a half table-spoonfuls of corn-starch, one tea-spoonful of salt, one table-spoonful of butter. Put the omelet pan, and a cover that will fit closely, on to heat. Beat well together the yolks of the eggs, the corn-starch and the salt. ”

“ Cheese cut fine or grated and mixed with the eggs helps to make a delicious omelet. Bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, rice, riced potatoes, or left-over cereal may be used, as well as mushrooms, chopped or whole, and oysters raw or previously scalloped or fried and then chopped. Bits of fish, such as left-over crab or lobster, will do nicely for increasing variety. Often jelly, jam, and fruit or vegetables are folded inside after the omelet is cooked. ”