Okay!
Malia... how come my three-egg omelets turn out scorched on the outside and runny on the inside, no matter how low I turn the (gas) stove? What's the secret to a perfectly cooked omelet?
Well sure.
I'm surprised to hear that they're ALWAYS scorched, even when the stove is turned super low, which leads me to guess you have a pan whose bottom has a "hot spot" -- a place where it's somehow thinner than the rest of the pan.
What kind of pan have you been using?
1. Tools
---A. Use a good, well-seasoned, heavy-bottomed cast iron pan (8"-10").
(If you need to know how to season a cast iron, just ask.)
---B. Can't get a hold of a cast iron pan? Use a good quality nonstick. Aluminum skillets are nice for sauteing but for omelets they're for the birds!
---C. You'll also need a spoon, or rubber spatula that you don't care about melting
, and either a whisk or fork to beat/whip the eggs. Don't forget your metal pancake turner
(spatula) for folding the omelet near the end.
2. Ingredients for a simple cheese omelet (we can add ingredients after we get this basic guy down, if you want something more complex. )
3 fresh eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup grated cheddar or swiss, or other favorite melting cheese
(I like to add a little goat cheese, too!)
1-2 tablespoons of chopped scallions
salt and pepper, to taste
3. Directions for preparation
---A. Beat/whip eggs with water in a small bowl until frothy and uniformly yellow
(use a whisk or fork).
---B. Grate cheese, chop scallions, set aside near stove.
(You want your filling ready and on hand to add to your omelet when the time is right, not to mention your salt and pepper.)
---C. Meanwhile, heat skillet over low heat
(If it is a cast iron pan, go ahead and grease with a nonstick spray like Pam. Add a pat of butter for flavor, if you like.).
---D. When skillet is hot (but not smoking, NEVER smoking!), pour your eggs into the pan. With your spoon or rubber spatula, draw egg from the outside into the center, then turn the pan a bit to allow the egg liquid to cover the now naked spot. Do this all around the pan, building up a nice texture for your omelet, always letting egg liquid cover bare spots.
---E. When your eggs are almost cooked, but still a little undone on top, add salt and pepper to taste, your cheese, and top with the scallions, spreading them in a line in the center of your omelet.
---F. With your metal spatula, check the edges of your omelet and make sure it is not sticking to the pan
(if it is sticking, gently loosen the bottom with the spatula). Then take your spatula and fold your omelet in half. At this point, you need only cook another minute or two and it is ready.
Optionally, cover your omelet with a pan lid for the last minute and a half or so to really get your cheese melted.
---G. Slide your omelet onto a plate, unless it is sticking to the pan
(it shouldn't stick too much at all), in which case use your spatula to help gently slide it onto the plate.
