Monday, December 5, 2011

QUESTIONS FROM READERS AND CONSUMERS

This week I received a lot of questions about omelets.  I have covered some issues about this in earlier posts but thought it would be good to update new readers too.

At the recent class I asked how many people had trouble with omelets.  Over 80% raised their hands. One of the most common mistakes that people make with omelets is to add milk or cream to the eggs.  That may be good for scrambled eggs ( I only add it near the end - I will explain that in another post) but for an omelet is a bad idea.  I add a little water. Water creates steam which makes for a fluffy light omelet.  Milk and cream do not. So add about teaspoon of water for three eggs and whisk it in.  When you do you will see that egg mixture gets frothy and light.  

The other issue is temperature. Eggs are a delicate protein. Treat them gently. If your pan is screaming hot they will burn and turn dark brown.  NOT GOOD!  Also as the eggs set, lift the edges of the eggs and let the uncooked eggs run underneath. This creates layers and helps the omelet to rise in the oven. A really good omelet is finished in the oven under the broiler. Don't try to cook it completely on the stove as the bottom will burn and your filling may not get cooked or melted as intended.  Add your ingredients before you put the pan under the broiler. Watch the time under the broiler as it may be hotter than you think.  When the omelet is puffy and the filing is hot it is done.  Remember that there is residual heat so take it out sooner rather than later.  You can always put back under the heat but you cannot take the heat out once it has gone too far.

That is just a few things you can do make a really good omelet. So get your whisk and see what you can do. A little practice and you can make omelets like a pro.