Tip: A French omelette is said to be 10 percent ingredients and 90 percent technique. If you fail at your first attempt to make this recipe, Ne t’inquiète pas, (Don’t worry!) as we say en français, you’ll simply have a lovely pan of scrambled eggs on your hands. And once you’ve mastered it, you can try all kinds of good variations, adding
things like cooked spinach, crispy mushrooms, and the like.
ingredients
directions
Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until well combined and smooth, taking care not to whip in much air. The point is to combine the yolks and whites very well.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium low heat until the butter has melted and just begins to foam. Pour in the eggs. Working quickly, gently move the pan in a circular motion over the heat (this will keep the eggs moving and evenly cooking) while you use a small rubber spatula in your other hand to stir the eggs in a loose figure eight pattern to create small curds, scraping down the sides of the skillet as you go. Continue until the eggs are mostly cooked through but just a little runny on top, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the omelette (now it can be called one!) with a pinch of salt, then sprinkle the cheese down the center of the exposed egg. Gently shake the pan so that the omelette shifts toward the side of the pan opposite the handle and up the side of the pan. The part of the omelette above the edge of the pan should fold over on itself — use your rubber spatula to give it a hand, if it doesn’t. Slide 1 tablespoon butter underneath the omelette that’s still in the pan. (This will help keep the omelette tender and soft — and it tastes really good.)
Using the spatula, roll up the omelette, then flip it seam side down onto a warm serving plate. Slide the remaining dab of butter (1/2 tablespoon) across the top, then sprinkle with a pinch each of salt and pepper and the chives. Serve hot.