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The Perfect Decadent Custardy French Omelet With Smoked Salmon


An omelet with fresh herbs plated with a buttered English muffin
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3.59 from 17 votes
Let science make you the ultimate omelet. It doesn't get any better than this recipe! It even works well for scrambled eggs.

Course:
Breakfast
,
Brunch
,
Lunch
,
Main Course
Cuisine:
French
,
Modernist
difficulty scale

Makes:

Servings: 1 serving

Takes:

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Equipment

  • I make this in a non-stick 8 inch (203.2 mm) ceramic coated pan (the video says enamel, but it is really a ceramic coat). This is the exact model I bought: 8 inch GreenPan Valencia Pro. I also bought their 12 inch (304.8 mm). They are totally awesome and I am not paid to say so. This new breed of coating is very different from the set of non-stick pans we got when we were married years ago. They don't scorch and they have none of the drawbacks of Teflon which can produce hazardous vapors if it gets too hot. The eggs are easy to flip and they slide out like an Olympic skier. I strongly recommend you get one if you make a lot of omelets.

Ingredients

Notes:
About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works.
Optional. You can use bacon fat or duck fat if you wish. I love to add a teaspoon of thyme, tarragon, or chives (fresh or dried) before cooking, a minced shallot to the melted fat, and after, several grinds of coarse black pepper.
Metric conversion:

These recipes were created in US Customary measurements and the conversion to metric is being done by calculations. They should be accurate, but it is possible there could be an error. If you find one, please let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page

Method

  • Whisk #1. Have all of the ingredients out and at the ready. Crumble the salmon. Whisk together the cornstarch and cream in a medium sized bowl until there are no lumps.
  • Whisk again. Crack and add the eggs to the cornstarch mix, sprinkle in the salt, and whisk vigorously until it is foamy. You want some bubbles in there. Add the herbs now.
  • Butter up. Melt the butter over medium heat in an 8 inch (203.2 mm) nonstick pan. I am extremely fond of my ceramic coated pan which is a s slick as a hockey rink. Resist the temptation to go hot unless you like rubbery eggs. Do not brown the butter.
  • Cook side one. As soon as the butter is melted, give the eggs a final whisk and pour them into the pan. With the whisk, move the liquid around. The eggs will start solidifying on the bottom and sides. Push the lumps around and tilt the pan so liquid can flow onto the bare surface. You will think that you are making scrambled eggs. Don’t worry, you are making an omelet. Keep this up until there is very little runny liquid on top but don’t let the bottom brown.
  • Flip out. If you like runny eggs, proceed to the next step. For a little firmer omelet, now it is time to flip it over and cook the runny egg remaining on the top. There are two methods. The pro technique is to make sure the eggs are sliding around in the pan and then, with a flick of the wrist, send it up the sloped side of the pan, into the air where it will do a half gainer. Watch out for any low hanging cabinets. If you lack the confidence to do the flick, there is an easier way: Slide the eggs out of the pan onto a plate, and then slide them back into the pan tilting the plate so the wet side lands facing the warm metal.
  • Add the salmon. After flipping place the crumbled salmon on one half of the omelet.
  • Fold and serve. Let the wet side set for about 20 seconds and then slide it out onto a plate, folding it in half as it slides out. I like a few grinds of fresh black pepper, grilled Texas Toast or English muffins, and of course, coffee. My wife puts homemade marmalade on her toast.