Omelettes are beaten eggs folded over on itself. Often omelettes will wrap around cheese, vegetables, or meat. Usually the inside is somewhat less cooked than the outside, which has a slight crust on it from being cooked in oil or butter.
Cooking omelettes is pretty easy. First you preheat a skillet and melt a bit of butter in it. Then you whisk up some eggs. Most purists recommend cooking only two eggs at a time in omelettes, to ensure the best texture. The eggs should be whisked at a slight angle for around two minutes, or just until they reach an even color consistency and a little bit of froth. One tablespoon of water for each egg can be added to the mix at this point for a lighter consistency, and a dash of salt can be added as well.
As soon as the butter begins to bubble up on the skillet, the mixture should be poured evenly into the skillet. The sides should quickly be pushed down to make sure no egg sticks to the edges. The omelette can then be left for about a minute to cook through. If cheese, vegetables, or meat are going to be added, they should now be sprinkled on top of the flat egg cake. As soon as the egg solidifies through, the heat should be shut off, and one side of the omelette should be folded over to the other side. The omelette can now continue to melt or heat the ingredients inside under its own heat, and is ready to be eaten.
Omelettes prepared in this way are quite light and fluffy, and shouldn’t be overcooked. It’s important when preparing omelettes to make sure you don’t overwhisk the egg mixture originally, since this will ruin the consistency of the omelettes. It’s also important not to overcook the eggs once they’ve been placed on the skillet. Some people like to flip the entire body of their omelettes over to let both sides cook before folding it over, but the traditional way to prepare omelettes allows the inside to be a bit less cooked than the outside.
Any sort of thing can be put into omelettes to make a filling. Traditionally the meat most often used is ham, with small cubes or shreds being layered on top of the eggs, sometimes with green peppers or onions to make a simple omelette. Most people add cheddar or jack cheese to their omelettes as well, even if no other filling is used. The flavors of these cheeses complement the flavors of the eggs, and add a bit of a stringy consistency to the fluffy consistency of the omelette itself. Slightly more upscale omelettes are the omelettes aux Champignons, French-style omelettes made with mushrooms. These can use any sorts of mushrooms, and usually add a bit of crème fraiche, chives, and peppercorn as well.