Foods, their selection and preparation

Fluffy Omelet. In a fluffy or foamy omelet the air incorporated in the egg white serves as the leavening. This omelet is pre¬ pared by beating the whites and yolks sepa¬ rately. The liquid, if used (a maximum of two tablespoons to each egg), and the sea¬ sonings (other than salt) are beaten into the yolks. The whites, with the salt, are beaten stiff and folded into the yolk mixture. The fluffy omelet is cooked in the same way as a French omelet. After it has set throughout and browned on the bottom, it may be placed in a moderate oven or in a broiler to dry the top. It should be folded, not rolled, and served at once on a hot plate. Any of the additions or variations of the « French omelet may be used for a fluffy omelet. Cream-Sauce Omelets. There is a limit to the amount of liquid which may be added to an egg in making an omelet. If the milk is thickened and made into a cream sauce (see page 63) it is possible to increase the propor¬ tion of liquid to egg. While 2 tablespoons of unthickened liquid to an egg is maximum, from 5 to J cup cream sauce may be used to each egg. Such omelets are more tender and Making Prune Souffle • {Left) The thick fruit pulp is folded carefully into the well-beaten whites; {Right) bake in slow oven until knife inserted comes out clean Poultry and Egg National Board less expensive; and fluffy ones are more successfully prepared when a cream sauce is used rather than unthickened liquid. Such omelets are prepared in the same way as any fluffy omelet. The thoroughly cooked and slightly cooled cream sauce and seasonings are added to the yolks, and the stiffly beaten whites are folded in last. This type of omelet may be cooked in the oven rather than on top of the range, if desired. When baked, use an oven temperature of 300° to 325° F. for one hour or longer de¬ pending upon the size of the omelet. Souffles. A souffle is a baked cream- sauce omelet. A thick cream sauce is used (at least 3 tablespoons flour to 1 cup liquid) and 1 cup sauce to 3 or 4 eggs. The flavoring ma¬ terials are added to the cream sauce and yolk mixture. The additions most often used for main-dish souffles are cheese, vegetable pulp, ground meats, or flaked fish. For dessert souffles, chocolate or fruit pulp are favorites. Dessert Souffles and Whips. Dessert souffles are made in the same way as main- dish souffles — melted chocolate is added to the hot cream-sauce yolk mixture, and the hot sieved fruit to the well-beaten yolks. Part of the sugar may be added to the yolk mixture or all of it may be beaten into the whites. If the fruit pulp is thick, the egg whites may be added to it without the use of yolks. When so prepared, such dishes are usually called fruit whips. These can be made of any fruit pulp of pronounced flavor and color. Prune and dried apricot are favorites. The fruit pulp may be heated to dissolve the added sugar and combined while hot with the stiffly beaten egg whites so as partly to cook the eggs and give body to the mixture. A whip thus prepared may be chilled and served, or it may be baked. If to be cooked, place the baking dish of whip in a pan of water in a 250° F. oven. Bake until a knife Sauces of various sorts are often used with souffles and whips. The egg yolks are some¬ times used in a custard sauce for the whip. SPONGE CAKES