Help! I can't make an omelette!

room512

I can cook - I have an A at O'Level and have an A level in it too. I can make most things and they turn out well.

But I can't make an omelette and it's bugging me now. My OH will make me one and I'll watch him make it but I just can't make them. The other day I cooked one for 15 mins and the OH was astounded at a) how long it took to cook b) how rubbery it was!!! (he wasn't being mean and ate it all making nice noises - he only admitted how dreadful it was yesterday)

I've watched videos on youtube and read lots of recipes, but this seems to be my nemesis.

For my lunch I would love to make one just to prove I can - any tips and help would be great. I want to put chorizo and cheese in it.

I feel really silly posting this as everyone says how easy they are.

I really hope someone can help - how hot do I have the pan? Do I keep moving it? When do I turn it? etc

hilstep2000

An omlette should take three minutes at most. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and a dash of cold water. Get the pan hot first. Pour in the mixture, and keep scraping the uncooked egg to the middle till it's just set. Add your cheese then (if mushrooms cook before hand). Voila! It's not difficult you just have to handle it lightly and quickly.

room512

Do I need to turn it over to cook both sides? (thanks for your help so far)

Mojisola

Follow this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgHgbn_sVUw

Honey_Bear

If it's any consolation Room512, I can't cook them either. My mother could and my OH is brilliant at making them and even having watched both of them I still can't. Learning how to make omlettee's consistently well is the only thing on my Bucket List.

cherryblossomzel

Just an alternative: I've never been able to make an omelette with water. I use two eggs and a dash of milk, whisk with salt and pepper, pour into a hot pan with melted butter (I have used olive oil, but prefer butter). I don't scrape uncooked bits into the middle, and I don't turn it over, just leave it to cook. Add in the cheese/ham/cooked bacon etc after a couple of minutes, leave another minute or two so until everything is hot, then just fold it in half and slide onto a plate.

Mmmm, now I want an omelette .

McKneff

After pouring into the pan and its starting to set, I lift edges up and let the uncooked egg run into the space.


When its nearly done, I pop it under the grill for a minute or two to set the top. It also fluffs it up, slide it onto the plate, put you ingredients on one half and flip the other half over.

splishsplash

You'll need to fry off the chorizo first to render down the fat, otherwise, as above - medium heat, don't overcook it.
FWIW, I prefer butter to fry in and milk to mix with the eggs too.

Steve059

I know professional cooks, who can't make pastry to save their lives.

Try this Spanish omelette recipe. The low, slow cooking and then finishing it off under the grill makes it relatively "bomb proof". I also omit the onion & potato and do my plain omelletes this way.

SPANISH OMELETTE

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
1 potato
½ an onion
200ml of water
1 tablespoon of olive oil

METHOD

Break the eggs into a bowl and beat the eggs.

Peel the potatoes and chop them into 1cm (½ inch) cubes. Peel the onion, cut it in half, chop one half into tiny pieces and save the other half.

Put the potatoes and water into a saucepan on a medium heat. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat until it is just boiling. Put the lid on the saucepan and cook for about 10 minutes, checking that they do not fall apart. Drain the potato in a sieve or colander.

Put the oil in a frying pan on a moderate heat. Add the onion and potato. Fry the onion and potato. Stir frequently to stop them sticking. When they are golden, add the eggs. Let them spread out. Shake the pan gently and gently stir the mixture with a wooden spoon.

The omelette should be about 1cm (½ an inch) thick.

Turn the heat down really low. Cover the pan. Leave it for at least 10 minutes.

After about 5 minutes, turn the grill on to a medium heat.

Uncover the pan. Put it under the grill for 2 minutes until the top is brown.

Cut into quarters.

valk_scot

Fifteen minutes for an omelette? You could use it for floor tiles after that. You start with a moderately hot pan, dash of oil (butter burns), wait till it gets hot, tip in your egg mixture, draw the edges to the centre as it cooks while tipping the runny uncooked bit to the outside, take it off the heat as soon as the centre is barely set. Add filling to one side (you may need to pre cook this), and tip out the pan. Two minute job.


My son learned to cook them over a campfire, in Cubs. Now there's a life skill....;)

rach_k

Some people do it in a far more complicated way than me!

Beat the eggs until just mixed - no need to make them frothy! A 2 egg omelette is about right for me. Add some herbs to the egg mix if you like, as well as salt and pepper.

Get the pan on a medium heat and add a bit of oil. Pour the eggs in, tip the pan to cover the whole thing evenly and then leave it until you can see some of the mix is starting to 'set'. While there is still runny egg on top, add a handful of grated cheese and anything else you want - I like some pre-cooked mushrooms or halved cherry tomatoes. When the cheese is nearly all melted, use a spatula to fold the omelette in half. Leave it for 30 seconds for the rest of the cheese to melt and then tip onto a plate.

I don't like runny eggs so I wait until it's more or less completely cooked through, but if you like the eggs still runny, flip it and plate it up a bit earlier. Remember that the residual heat will mean it continues to cook for a minute once you've removed it from the heat so take it off just before it's done how you want.