One of the first items I learned to make when I began studying French cooking back in graduate school was an omelet. I read about a number of techniques, but found the one taught by Dione Lucas to be the best. At the time, there were no really good non-stick pans, so I bought a pure aluminum omelet pan by Leyse and seasoned it. I never washed it; only wiped it out after use. Now I use a non-stick pan. It is a lot easier.

Crack three eggs in a bowl. Add about a tablespoon of water, milk, or cream. With a fork, break the yolks and stir. Do not over stir; you want the whites to be visible as swirls throughout the egg mixture. That way, when the omelet cooks, it will look really nice with white streaks in and through the yellow egg.

Use an omelet pan with sloping sides for easy stirring and removal. You probably need a 7" pan for three eggs. Put the pan over medium heat. When I heat up the pan, I use a little olive oil. I prefer olive oil because it is good for our hearts. When heated, pour in the egg mixture. Turn the heat down a little.

Some let the egg cook and then lift it with a spatula, tilt the pan, and let the runny egg on the surface run underneath the already cooked egg. I do not like that method. The omelet is not tender and fluffy enough for me. As the egg mixture cooks, I slowly stir it, pulling the cooked egg into the middle, turning parts of it over, like I was making scrambled eggs. (The matfer 9 7/8" exoglass spatula is great for stirring an omelet. http://www.cookswares.com/scoops.htm ) When the eggs look like really soft scrambled eggs, I push them out into a somewhat even circle, like a very lumpy pancake. I then let the omelet set up for a minute or two. At this time, grind a little sea salt and pepper over the omelet and add any filling.

The omelet will be tender and fluffy, so you have to be careful when you remove it. To remove the omelet, grab the pan's handle with your left hand, palm up, pan to the right. Move the pan over your plate. Be sure the omelet is loose and will slide out of the pan. Now tilt the pan, and slide half the omelet onto the plate. Then pull the pan from left to right across the omelet portion on the plate so the omelet in the pan will cover, fold over, the omelet already on the plate. Then spray it with a little olive oil, if you like olive oil, or brush it with a little butter, and grind a little sea salt and pepper over it.

Late Summer Omelet

When tomatoes are ripe, I like a chopped tomato filling. It is easy and delicious.

Chop a tablespoon or two of onion and green pepper, and some ham, if you have it. Sauté in your omelet pan for a few minutes while you chop two medium tomatoes into 1/2" chunks. Spray the tomatoes with olive oil, and grind some salt and pepper over them, and gently toss. You can add a bit of finely chopped fresh basil, mint, or parsley, or all three, if you so desire. Set tomato mixture aside.

Make your omelet mixture as described above and pour it over the sautéed vegetables in the pan. Stir as directed; the onion, green pepper, and ham will be incorporated into the omelet itself. Make the omelet and season it as directed above. When you are ready to remove the omelet, spoon some of the tomatoes, no more than 1/4 of them, in a line where you will make the fold. Then remove the omelet to your plate. Season it with sea salt and pepper, and olive oil if you desire. Then spoon the rest of the tomatoes, without the juice, in a circle near the omelet, and garnish with a sprig of mint, basil, or parsley. As an alternative, you could put the tomato mixture, juice and all, in a ramekin to be placed on the plate.

Other ingredients you can put in the pan with or without the onion and green pepper are bacon, sausage, and croutons.

Late Summer Herb Omelet

I use the small spatula when I make omelets. I used to use a wooden fork to protect my seasoned pan. Now I use a non-stick omelet pan; the Matfer spatula does not scratch its surface.

One of my favorite ways of flavoring the omelet is to use fresh herbs. For a three egg omelet, I briefly sauté some chopped onions and green pepper in the omelet pan. While cooking, I take four or five small leaves of tarragon, three or four stems of chives, and about five parsley leaves and chop them all together. The herbs amount to about 1 teaspoon. I put the herbs and about a tablespoon of milk, cream, or water in the eggs before beating the eggs. The lightly beaten eggs with herbs are then poured into the omelet pan, and the omelet is made per my technique. You can add cheese if you wish as the omelet is setting up. Again, consult my technique on the web.

I use clarified butter and extra virgin olive oil to cook the onions and herbs. After I have removed the omelet from the pan, I spread a little clarified butter over it and spray it with a little olive oil to give it a moist sheen and to add flavor. I then grind a little sea salt and pepper over it.