Harper's cook book encyclopædia

Omelet. — An omelet is a simple, wholesome, inexpensive dish, but yet one in the preparation of which cooks frequently fail, owing to ignorance of three or four important details. The flavoring may be varied indefinitely, but the process is always the same. In making an omelet care should be taken, first, that the frying-pan is quite dry and hot. The best way to insure this is to put a small quantity of fat into the pan, let it boil, then pour it away, wipe the pan out with a cloth, and put in fresh fat. Second, the fat in which the omelet is to be fried should be very gently heated. Unless this is done the fat will be browned, and the color of the omelet will be spoiled. Third, the number of eggs should not be large. It is better to make two or three small omelets than one very large one. 'The best omelets are made with no more than six eggs. Fourth, the omelet-pan should not be washed ; it should be scraped and wiped dry with a cloth. If washed it is probable that the next omelet fried in it will be a failure. Fifth, a very small quantity only of salt should be put in. Salt keeps the eggs from rising. Omelet, Plain.—The following recipe is by the celebrated French cook, M. Soyer: “Break four eggs into a basin, add half a teaspoonful of salt, and a quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, and beat them well up with a fork. Put into the frying - pan i ^ ozs. of butter, lard, or oil ; place it on the fire, and when hot pour in the eggs, and keep on mixing them quickly with a spoon till they are delicately set; then let them slip to the edge of the pan, laying hold by the handle, and raising it slantwise, which will give an elongated form to the omelet ; turn in the edges, let it rest a moment to set, turn it over on a dish, and serve. It ought to be of a rich yellow color, done to a nicety, and as light and delicate as possible. Two table -spoonfuls of milk and i oz. of the crumb of bread, cut into small pieces, may be added/' Omelet with Apples. — Peel and core one quart of green apples and cut them lengthwise, a quarter of an inch thick ; put them in a saucepan with lb. of good butter, four table-spoonfuls of sugar, three table-spoonfuls of water. Cover the saucepan ; cook slowly for fifteen minutes ; stir the apples, but do not break them, and cook again for ten minutes. Remove the nicest pieces to place around the omelet. Break six fresh eggs in a bowl, add to them two tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar, two table-spoonfuls of milk ; beat for one minute ; put in a very clean frying-pan half a table-spoonful of fresh butter. When hot pour the eggs in. Let them cook for half a minute, and with a fork bring towards you the first fold ; let it cook to form the second fold ; and do the same thing for the third fold. By this time the omelet is cooked enough ; pour in the centre from one end to the other the hot apples, fold the omelet from the side nearest to you, and have a hot platter at the other end to receive the omelet. Slip it gently over and lay around it the reserved slices of apple. Omelet with Asparagus Tips. — Scrape two large bunches of fresh Omelet, Bread Omelet, Jam