Omelette Française

Image courtesy of Amy Verner.

Amy Verner has a Francophile sensibility––at least when it comes to making omelets and choosing where to live. The Torontonian journalist studied media criticism at New York University, returned to her native Canada to gain experience as a fashion reporter, and then moved to Paris where she now resides…and dreams of cooking like le chef de cuisine. “I have a dream that, one day, I will achieve a classic, fluffy French omelette like those prepared by Jacques Pépin or Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) in The Bear,” the writer remarks as she offers Family Style her recipe for an omelet. Her version is not stuffed, rather topped with herbs, which she adds the “purists” may laugh at. “I simply love how an omelette can be eaten any time of day and is ready in minutes,” says Verner. “Done just right, it feels at once humble and haute.”

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Ingredients

• 3 organic, free-range eggs (I purchase mine from the Fermes des Caillons at the Marché Raspail; they even note the date they were laid)
• Salt and pepper 
• Dill 
• Tarragon
• Parsley (finely chopped)
• Butter

 Instructions

1. Crack eggs and whisk assertively. Add a splash of water or milk for a richer texture. 
2. Let the oil or butter, just enough to coat, heat in a non-stick pan. Once hot enough to sizzle a drop of water, add the eggs and wait about 30 seconds until you see some cooking action, usually along the sides. 
3. Using a silicone spatula, pull the mixture inward and tilt the pan around to fill the now-empty areas of the pan with uncooked egg. 
4. Try to arrive at a surface that is no longer liquid-like but not fully cooked either. 
5. Gently jiggle the pan with your wrist to loosen the omelette and use the spatula to fold from one side and then the other. 
6. Slide the omelet onto a plate so that the bottom is now on top and add an extra sprig of green, pourquoi pas.