3. Mix, do not heat the eggs, and never use more than
six as in the Pennaconda omelette. It is better to make
two of six, than one of twelve eggs.
4. Three eggs, mixed whole, make a nice sized omelette.
5. Be sure that your pan is ready to receive your mix-
ture. If not hot enough, the omelette will be leathery, or
you will have to mix it in the pan like " scrambled eggs"
— (oeufs hrouilUs).
6. The moment the butter ceases to fizz, and assumes a
pale brown tint, the pan is ready.
7. Instantly lift up the part of the omelette that sets at
the moment of contact, and let the unformed mixture run
under it ; repeat this if the pan be very full, keep the left
hand at work with a gentle sea-saw motion to encourage
rapidity in setting, give a finishing shake, and turn it into
the hot dish before the whole of the mixture has quite set.
8. The omelette will roll over of its own accord, if the
sides of the pan be sloped as I have described : it will not
require folding.
9. Three quarters of a minute is ample time for the
16
182 CULINARY JOTTINGS FOR MADRAS.
whole operation, if the pan be properly hot when the mix-
ture is poured into it.
10. Have the hot dish close by the fire, so that you can
turn the omelette into it instanter. A little melted butter,
with some chopped parsley, may, with advantage, be put
into the dish.
It is above all things necessary to have a very brisk fire
under the pan while the omelette is being cooked. A
brasier filled with live charcoal is the best kind of fire,
and the fan must be vigorously plied from the moment
that the mixture is poured into the pan.
As I said before, omelettes may be varied in many ways.
If '' aux fines herbes," curly parsley and shallot are neces-
sary ; minced marjoram or thyme, garden-cress (the com-
panion, I mean, of mustard) or celery leaves, are agreeable,
and many are fond of a spoonful of finely chopped green
chilli, omitting the seeds of course.
Chopped ham, chopped tongue, chopped bacon, and
chopped corned beef are added to omelettes with good
effect. The words " aic jambo7i,'' " an lard,'' " ati langne de
hoeuf," ^'c, specify the addition. I have found it better to
fry the minced ham, &c., independently, keeping it handy
for addition to the omelette during the rolling over stage,
as it goes into the dish.
Cold cooked vegetables, cut up and tossed awhile in
melted butter separately, may be thus added with success.
I recommend pieces of the flower of the cauliflower, arti-
choke bottoms cut into dice, or Jerusalem artichokes sliced,
and cut up. Peas, the grains of Indian corn, chopped
French beans, or the seeds of the bandecai or moringa pod
are thus very pleasantly treated. In the case of an " omelette
aux legumes,'" a dust of grated cheese gives a pleasing
finishing touch when the omelette reposes in the hot dish.
" Omelette aux tomates :" — Cut three or four ripe tomatoes
I
THE SAVOURY OMELETTE. 183 ✪ Savoury Omelette with Tunny and Roes
Page 102 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1885. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
3. Mix, do not heat the eggs, and never use more than six as in the Pennaconda omelette. It is better to make two of six, than one of twelve eggs.
4. Three eggs, mixed whole, make a nice sized omelette.
5. Be sure that your pan is ready to receive your mixture. If not hot enough, the omelette will be leathery, or you will have to mix it in the pan like " scrambled eggs" — (oeufs brouillés).
6. The moment the butter ceases to fizz, and assumes a pale brown tint, the pan is ready.
7. Instantly lift up the part of the omelette that sets at the moment of contact, and let the unformed mixture run under it ; repeat this if the pan be very full, keep the left hand at work with a gentle sea-saw motion to encourage rapidity in setting, give a finishing shake, and turn it into the hot dish before the whole of the mixture has quite set.
8. The omelette will roll over of its own accord, if the sides of the pan be sloped as I have described : it will not require folding.
9. Three quarters of a minute is ample time for the
whole operation, if the pan be properly hot when the mixture is poured into it.
10. Have the hot dish close by the fire, so that you can turn the omelette into it instanter. A little melted butter, with some chopped parsley, may, with advantage, be put into the dish.
It is above all things necessary to have a very brisk fire under the pan while the omelette is being cooked. A brasier filled with live charcoal is the best kind of fire, and the fan must be vigorously plied from the moment that the mixture is poured into the pan.
As I said before, omelettes may be varied in many ways. If '' aux fines herbes," curly parsley and shallot are necessary ; minced marjoram or thyme, garden-cress (the companion, I mean, of mustard) or celery leaves, are agreeable, and many are fond of a spoonful of finely chopped green chilli, omitting the seeds of course.
Chopped ham, chopped tongue, chopped bacon, and chopped corned beef are added to omelettes with good effect. The words " au jambon,'' " au lard,'' " à la langue de boeuf," ^'c, specify the addition. I have found it better to fry the minced ham, &c., independently, keeping it handy for addition to the omelette during the rolling over stage, as it goes into the dish.
Cold cooked vegetables, cut up and tossed awhile in melted butter separately, may be thus added with success. I recommend pieces of the flower of the cauliflower, artichoke bottoms cut into dice, or Jerusalem artichokes sliced, and cut up. Peas, the grains of Indian corn, chopped French beans, or the seeds of the bandecai or moringa pod are thus very pleasantly treated. In the case of an " omelette aux legumes,'" a dust of grated cheese gives a pleasing finishing touch when the omelette reposes in the hot dish.
" Omelette aux tomates :" — Cut three or four ripe tomatoes
THE SAVOURY OMELETTE. 183
Records on this page
Savoury Omelette with Tunny and RoesOmelette aux tomates