Best All American Omelet Recipes

PERFECT OMELET

Steps:

• Beat the eggs: Soak 3 large eggs for 5 minutes in hot-not scalding-tap water. This will ensure that the omelet cooks faster, and the faster an omelet cooks, the more tender it's going to be. Crack the eggs into a small bowl or large bowl-shaped coffee mug. Season with a pinch of fine salt. Beat the eggs gently with a fork.
• TIP: I prefer a fork to a whisk for omelets because I don't want to work air into the eggs: Air bubbles are insulators and can slow down cooking if you're not careful.
• Heat the pan: Heat a 10-inch nonstick saute pan over medium to high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon room-temperature unsalted butter. Once melted, spread the butter around the pan with a basting brush to ensure coverage.
• TIP: Heat your pan empty for a few minutes before adding the butter: Even a nonstick surface is pocked with microscopic pores that eggs can fill and grab hold of. Heat expands the metal, squeezing these openings shut.
• Add the eggs: Pour the eggs into the center of the pan and stir vigorously with a silicone spatula for 5 seconds. (Actually, it's not so much a matter of stirring with the spatula as holding the spatula relatively still and moving the pan around to stir the eggs.)
• Let them cook: As soon as curds begin to form (that's the stuff that looks like scrambled eggs), lift the pan and tilt it around until the excess liquid pours off the top of the curds and into the pan. Then use the spatula to shape the edge and make sure the omelet isn't sticking. Move the spatula around the edge of the egg mixture to help shape it into a round and loosen the edge. Then walk away. That's right-let that omelet sit unaccosted for 10 long seconds so it can develop a proper outer crust. Don't worry: Your patience will be rewarded.
• Finish the omelet: Time for the "jiggle" step: Simply shake the pan gently to make sure the omelet is indeed free of the pan. Lift up the far edge of the pan and snap it back toward you. Then use the spatula to fold over the one-third facing you.
• Change your grip on the pan handle from an overhand to an underhand and move to the plate, which you might want to lube with just a brief brushing of butter to make sure things don't bind up in transit. Slide the one-third farthest from you onto the plate and then ease the fold over. Imagine that you're making a tri-fold wallet out of eggs-because that's exactly what you're doing. And just ease the pan over. There, that wasn't so hard.

THE DENVER OMELET

Steps:

• Beat eggs until just combined; do not over-beat.
• Melt butter in a skillet over high heat. Add ham, onion, and bell pepper. Sprinkle in a nice pinch of salt and a touch of pepper. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until onions start to soften and ham begins to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in the eggs. Mix briefly with a spatula while shaking the pan to ensure ingredients are evenly distributed. Quickly run the spatula along the edges of the omelet.
• Sprinkle Cheddar cheese and cayenne pepper over the omelet. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the top is still wet but not runny, about 5 minutes. Fold omelet in half with your spatula and transfer to a plate.

WESTERN OMELETTE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat together 3 of the eggs and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a small non-stick skillet, with tight-fitting lid, over medium heat. Add the peppers and cook, covered, without stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the ham and scallions and cook, stirring frequently, until hot, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
• Melt a nut-sized piece of the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add 1/4 of the pepper mixture. Pour in the beaten eggs and cook, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant rubber spatula, until just cooked, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and, using the rubber spatula, smooth over the top of the omelette so that it evenly covers the inside of the skillet. If using the cheese, sprinkle about 2 tablespoons over the omelette. Let rest for 30 seconds until the omelette has set.
• Using the rubber spatula, fold the omelette in half, and transfer to a warmed plate. Cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 4 omelettes in all.

ALL AMERICAN OMELET

Steps:

• 1. Beat eggs,water,salt and pepper together; set aside. In a black Ion skillet (small) brown ham, bacon etc onions and peppers, remove from pan; set aside. In medium size iron skillet sprayed with non stick and heated on med high on the stove burner. Cook beaten eggs until eggs are set. lifting edges so uncooked portions can flow to bottom. Top with ham, bacon mixture and top with another cheese slice. Fold omelet and top with grated sharp cheese 1/2 cup and a teaspoon full of chopped green chillies.