Herbie The Omelet Recipes

Steps:

• Beat the eggs: Soak 3 large eggs for 5 minutes in hot-not scalding-tap water. This will ensure that the omelet cooks faster, and the faster an omelet cooks, the more tender it's going to be. Crack the eggs into a small bowl or large bowl-shaped coffee mug. Season with a pinch of fine salt. Beat the eggs gently with a fork.
• TIP: I prefer a fork to a whisk for omelets because I don't want to work air into the eggs: Air bubbles are insulators and can slow down cooking if you're not careful.
• Heat the pan: Heat a 10-inch nonstick saute pan over medium to high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon room-temperature unsalted butter. Once melted, spread the butter around the pan with a basting brush to ensure coverage.
• TIP: Heat your pan empty for a few minutes before adding the butter: Even a nonstick surface is pocked with microscopic pores that eggs can fill and grab hold of. Heat expands the metal, squeezing these openings shut.
• Add the eggs: Pour the eggs into the center of the pan and stir vigorously with a silicone spatula for 5 seconds. (Actually, it's not so much a matter of stirring with the spatula as holding the spatula relatively still and moving the pan around to stir the eggs.)
• Let them cook: As soon as curds begin to form (that's the stuff that looks like scrambled eggs), lift the pan and tilt it around until the excess liquid pours off the top of the curds and into the pan. Then use the spatula to shape the edge and make sure the omelet isn't sticking. Move the spatula around the edge of the egg mixture to help shape it into a round and loosen the edge. Then walk away. That's right-let that omelet sit unaccosted for 10 long seconds so it can develop a proper outer crust. Don't worry: Your patience will be rewarded.
• Finish the omelet: Time for the "jiggle" step: Simply shake the pan gently to make sure the omelet is indeed free of the pan. Lift up the far edge of the pan and snap it back toward you. Then use the spatula to fold over the one-third facing you.
• Change your grip on the pan handle from an overhand to an underhand and move to the plate, which you might want to lube with just a brief brushing of butter to make sure things don't bind up in transit. Slide the one-third farthest from you onto the plate and then ease the fold over. Imagine that you're making a tri-fold wallet out of eggs-because that's exactly what you're doing. And just ease the pan over. There, that wasn't so hard.

Steps:

• Crack eggs into a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon water, and salt and pepper. Whisk with a fork until egg whites are incorporated into yolks. Mix in herbs, if using.
• Place a 8- to 9-inch skillet (preferably nonstick or seasoned carbon steel) over high heat. Melt butter until bubbling subsides.
• Pour in egg mixture and reduce heat to medium. With the back of a fork or a heatproof rubber spatula, whisk eggs around skillet until the bottom begins to set. This takes only a few seconds. Add any fillings, if using.
• Tilt skillet and either bang or flip egg over itself. Use fork or spatula if necessary to complete folding in half or thirds. Angle the skillet and a serving plate together, and flip omelet onto plate.

Steps:

• Heat butter in an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
• While butter is heating, whisk together eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour into skillet and reduce heat to medium. Simultaneously stir eggs with a heatproof flexible spatula and shake the skillet vigorously back and forth over heat for about 1 minute. You want to keep the eggs moving, incorporating some of the runny parts with the more-cooked parts until there are some curds swimming in the eggs. Continue cooking, using a spatula to pull cooked eggs from the edge and allow uncooked parts to run underneath, until eggs are just set, with no more runny parts (about 15 to 30 seconds).
• Sprinkle herbs evenly over eggs, then run the spatula around all sides of omelet to loosen it from the pan. Use spatula to lift edge of omelet and gently fold over one third. Then, holding pan over plate, simultaneously slide and roll omelet onto plate. (Alternatively, flip over one half to form a half-moon shape.) Serve immediately, sprinkled with herbs for garnish.

Steps:

• Using a fork, beat the eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl until thoroughly mixed. Stir in the herbs.
• Heat half the oil and butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. When the oil and butter are hot, add half the egg mixture. Stir continuously with a fork, shaking the pan, for about 2 minutes to create the smallest-possible curds. When most of the egg is solid, cook it without stirring for 10 seconds to create a thin skin on the underside.
• Roll the omelet by folding over one side and then the opposite site, and invert it onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make a second omelet. Cut each omelet in half.

Steps:

• Beat eggs, milk and pepper slightly; set aside. Heat oil in 8-inch nonstick skillet or omelet pan over medium-high heat. Cook remaining ingredients except soy sauce in oil, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in soy sauce. Remove mixture from skillet; keep warm.
• Spray same skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Quickly pour about 1/2 cup of the egg mixture into skillet. Slide skillet back and forth rapidly over heat and, at the same time, quickly stir with a fork to spread eggs continuously over bottom of skillet as they thicken. Let stand over heat a few seconds to lightly brown bottom of omelet. (Do not overcook--omelet will continue to cook after folding.)
• Spoon about 1/4 cup of the rice mixture on one side of omelet. Run spatula under unfilled side of omelet; lift over rice mixture. Tilting skillet slightly, turn omelet onto plate. Repeat with remaining egg and rice mixtures.