Art of the omelet

Somewhere along the line, Americans dropped the French spelling of omelet, but it would be a shame to lose the classical French preparation of the eggs in this quick and flexible dish. Omelet night can turn dinnertime into an event, with everyone choosing their own cheese, vegetable and/or meat filling combo — provided you have someone experienced at the art of cooking eggs, which can be temperamental.

When making one or many omelets, you’ll need a heavy-bottomed frying pan (nonstick for the novice). Set the heat to medium-high and wait for the butter to foam up and then subside. Plan on three eggs and about a tablespoon of butter (we like unsalted) for each omelet. Break the eggs into a bowl with high sides and beat until the yolks and whites are incorporated, and the color is a uniform pale yellow. When the buttery foam has subsided, pour the eggs in; they should begin to sizzle. Use a spatula or fork to stir the eggs vigorously while moving the pan back and forth, keeping the curds small. When the eggs are barely set (they’ve lost some, but not all their shine), we like to depart from the French method, which would entail rolling the lightly cooked omelet up with little to no browning and serving as-is with no filling. But if there’s a chance to add cheese, we’ll take it: Once the eggs have set, add your choice of toppings, totaling about three tablespoons, to the creation and fold it in half with a broad spatula. Give the heat of the eggs about thirty seconds to melt the cheese and serve while hot.

Consider the following filling combinations for your dinner omelets, which can be served with your favorite artisan bread and a leafy-greens salad:

Dill-infused Havarti with smoked salmon

Cheddar, chopped fresh chives, and cracked black pepper, with or without chopped bacon

Port-Salut, prosciutto, and spinach

Inspiration for other fillings can strike with a peek into the refrigerator; with a dose of cheese, many vegetables, starch, and meat leftovers will make for a unique omelet.