Weekend Cooking: A Classic French Omelet Inspired By Emily In Paris

Scrambled Eggs

Scrambled eggs and omelets are both cooked, whisked eggs. What's the difference? Generally speaking, an omelet is folded and presented as a one big mass on a plate, while scrambled eggs are cooked to be loose and soft, and are slightly runny with finer curds. Depending on whether they're made with milk, cream, butter or water, scrambled eggs can range from light to dense and creamy.

Photo Credit: Paul del Rosario

Tip 1: Beat it

Beat eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl until well blended. Beating vigorously will aerate the eggs, resulting in lighter, fluffier curds. If you want a denser scrambled egg, go easy on the beating. You can strain the scrambled egg mixture to produce a finer, silkier texture.

Photo Credit: Paul del Rosario

Tip 2: Stir for soft curds

Heat butter in a nonstick pan, pour in the egg mixture. When the eggs begin to slightly set, gently "stir" to form soft curds, and continue stirring until the egg forms into runny curds. The general rule is, the more liquid you add, the softer and moister the scrambled eggs will be. And the more fatty the liquid you use, the richer and firmer they’ll become. If you want the creamiest most flavorful scrambled eggs, then go for the Escoffier Method. Also known as liquid scrambled egg, it is cooked in plenty of butter over low heat (sometimes in a double boiler) and stirred continuously until the mixture resembles a thick curd. At which point, remove from heat, and serve immediately.

Photo Credit: Paul del Rosario

The American Omelet

Also called a hard scramble, this is the type of omelet served in old-fashioned American diners. Almost golden brown in color, and firmer in texture. It’s stirred less to produce larger curds, and it is cooked all the way through. A variation is the frittata or Spanish omelet, where the eggs are scrambled and cooked without stirring until they set. You may add fillings like mushrooms, feta cheese, spinach, cauliflower, kimchi, chorizo, green peas... or anything that catches your fancy.

Photo Credit: Paul del Rosario

Tip 1: Preheat pan slowly over low heat

There are two schools of thought about whether you should preheat your pan quickly at medium heat, or slowly over low heat. We prefer the slow method, where the pan heats up slowly over a full 10 minutes at low heat. A critical step to achieving the perfect creamy omelet, this gives you a longer window for adding your eggs to the pan, and lets you cook gently without toughening the eggs. When your pan is hot enough, slowly pour in the mixture of beaten egg, salt and pepper. Make sure it spreads evenly across the base of your pan.

Photo Credit: Paul del Rosario

Tip 2: Shake, don't stir

Yes, omelets are like martinis in this respect. Scrambled eggs are stirred, but with an omelet you simply shake the pan occasionally to allow the egg to set and form larger curds.

Photo Credit: Paul del Rosario

Step 3: American omelets are folded in half

Let the omelet cook and solidify, then test by gently nudging its edges with a spatula. When the base is formed, add fillings down the center of the omelet (if you want fillings). Then gently fold the omelet in half.

Photo Credit: Paul del Rosario

Tip 4: Let it slide

To transfer the omelet onto a plate, simply let it slide from the pan, as you can see in the photo. This will minimize damage to the omelet. You should now have a perfect American omelet with a beautiful golden exterior, hefty with filling. Garnish with herbs and cheese, if you like.

Photo Credit: Paul del Rosario

The French Omelet

This iconic dish is a real challenge to do well, but once you’ve mastered it — after using up two dozen eggs or so — it will really impress. A proper French omelet should have a teardrop or almond shape, that is, one end slightly larger than the other. It should have a smooth-as-silk exterior, while soft and creamy within. What the French call baveuse, meaning runny.

Photo Credit: Paul del Rosario

Tip 1: Whisk those eggs!

Smooth, well-whisked eggs are essential for an evenly cooked omelet. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper and beat until no traces of visible white remains or pieces of yolk floating around.

Photo Credit: Paul del Rosario

Tip 2: Stir and scrape

Heat pan in low heat and melt the butter. Once the butter bubbles, add egg mixture and stir continuously, scraping the sides and giving the pan a vigorous shake every now and then to ensure no egg bits overcook. When the omelet is firm, use a spatula to loosen the sides and shape the edges into a nice circular form.

Photo Credit: Paul del Rosario

Tip 3: Tilt pan to fold the omelet

French omelets are folded in thirds to encase the filling in a tidy package. Tilt the pan away from you, then gently fold the omelet into a one-third roll. You can add a pat of butter to help it loosen from the pan. (You can move the pan off the heat at this point.) Loosen the rest of the omelet from the pan.

Photo Credit: Paul del Rosario

Tip 3: The fist bump

For the final fold of the omelet, fist-bump the handle to fold it toward the lower edge of the pan. Or use a spatula to gently fold the egg to the edge.

Photo Credit: Paul del Rosario

Tip 4: Tip onto plate, seam down

When the omelet is at the edge of the pan, tip the pan over a plate. You can use a spatula to help coax the omelet onto the plate, making sure it sits with the seam side down. Give it a final pat of butter, if you like, and garnish with fleur de sel. Serve immediately. Unlike it's American counterpart, the French omelet should have an underdone center that oozes when cut open.