It must have been a year ago, I was watching the Surreal Gourmet. The
specific program took place in a high intensity kitchen in a hotel
environment. Our hero was given a position as omlette cook. The way
they made their omlettes is not the way I would make an omlette. For
example, a western omlette was made in the following fashion:
1. Saute' diced ham, onions, and other fashionable ingrededients if
any.
2. When done add scrambled eggs.
3. Mix up.
4. Finish omlette as normal.

I don't like the idea of this. It turns out to be some kind of large
western sandwich without it being between two slices of bread.
I think that the filling should be put into/onto an omlette instead of
being scrambled around in the eggs.

On Mar 10, 4:05*pm, Chemiker > wrote:
> On Tue, 9 Mar 2010 11:44:16 -0800 (PST), "Bent Attorney Esq."
>
>
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> >It must have been a year ago, I was watching the Surreal Gourmet. *The
> >specific program took place in a high intensity kitchen in a hotel
> >environment. *Our hero was given a position as omlette cook. *The way
> >they made their omlettes is not the way I would make an omlette. *For
> >example, a western omlette was made in the following fashion:
> >1. *Saute' diced ham, onions, and other fashionable ingrededients if
> >any.
> >2. *When done add scrambled eggs.
> >3. *Mix up.
> >4. *Finish omlette as normal.
>
> >I don't like the idea of this. *It turns out to be some kind of large
> >western sandwich without it being between two slices of bread.
> >I think that the filling should be put into/onto an omlette instead of
> >being scrambled around in the eggs.
>
> FWIW: When and where I grew up, the dish you describe was referred to
> as "poor man's omelette". It's actually gussied-up scrambled eggs, as
> you gathered. That technique may be derived from the Italian frittata,
> although some places (Spain?) actually call it an omelette. They are
> tasty, but in Western Culture we normally consider the omelette to be
> as the French understand it. i.e. The eggs are beaten in a bowl (to
> incorporate some air) and sauteed, being allowed to rise and become
> fluffy. IF there is to be a filling, it is placed in one half of the
> eggs as they cook, then the eggs are slid onto a plate in such as way
> that the unfilled half folds over on the filled half. Garnish with
> parsley of what have you..... with sweet omelettes getting an
> appropriate topping.
>
> Omelettes are frequently abused by the cook in an effort to get to
> that light, moist tender state (unlike scrambled eggs which tend to be
> heavy and dense), like milk, baking powder, flour, ground up
> sheet-rock, and other gross stuff. It has been my experience that a
> little salt and pepper and *little dry vermouth (to thin the liquid)
> are all that is needed. DOn't let your heat get too low, swirl the pan
> to distribute the eggs evenly and have your fillings in place before
> you start cooking.
>
> The so-called Denver omelette and the Western Omlette are much the
> same. Diced ham, sauteed onion and green bell pepper are all you need
> in the filling. The proper Denver/Western is not a "clean out the
> fridge" dish, any more than a chicken-liver omelette can be made with
> bananas and ground beef.
>
> Here's one to try.
>
> Wilt baby spinach leaves in a small sauce pan, in a tsp of olive oil.
> When they are tender, add a tsp or so of lemon juice, remove from heat
> and cover. 2-3 eggs, the fresher the better, whisked with a pinch of
> salt, a grind or two of black or white pepper, a jigger (1.5 oz) of
> light dry vermouth, and whisk well but not overly long (the eggs will
> become watery). Omelette pan should be preheated and oiled as
> necessary. I use a silverstone lined pan, and it requires almost no
> oil. Drop your egg mix into the pan, swirling to start the congealing.
> Use a small wooden spatula, draw the congealed egg away from the
> edges, allowing the uncooked eqq liquid to flow into the open space
> and congeal. You should produce a light and fluffy egg, but don't
> overcook. Place the wilted spinach on one half of the egg circle, top
> with some precooked (room temp) popcorn shrimp. When the eggs are just
> barely firm throughout, slide the omelette onto a plate, turning the
> pan to fold the empty half of the circle onto the filled half. (It's
> all in the wrist). Residual heat will finish the setting of the eggs.
>
> Top with a bit of your favorite sauce (lemon butter, Tiger Sauce,
> white Worcestershire, your call) sprinkle with some minced parsley and
> serve. A tomato slice makes a nice side.
>
> Have fun and stay with it. Some people have a knack for getting to
> that moist fluffy state and make it look easy. Some (moi, for example)
> had to work at it to get the right "feel" and timing.
>
> Oh, let those eggs come to room temperature before you start making
> your omelette. Cold eggs will chill the pan down too quickly and the
> omelette dies in the process.
>

Very simple, and chic.
My version of the fritatta is that it is basically an omlette, but the
filling is placed around the whole omlette while it's cooking then it
is slid onto a plate open faced, and not folded.

> HTH
>
> Alex- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

On Tue, 9 Mar 2010 11:44:16 -0800 (PST), "Bent Attorney Esq."
> wrote:

> It must have been a year ago, I was watching the Surreal Gourmet.

the Surreal Gourmet was still on TV a year ago? I didn't know that.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Mar 10, 1:08*am, sf > wrote:
> On Tue, 9 Mar 2010 11:44:16 -0800 (PST), "Bent Attorney Esq."
>
> > wrote:
> > It must have been a year ago, I was watching the Surreal Gourmet.
>
> the Surreal Gourmet was still on TV a year ago? *I didn't know that.
>

Maybe it was 12.1387 months ago. Maybe it was a rerun. Maybe it came
from beyond the galaxy. Aboard an intergalactic vessel. Disguised as
green slime a.k.a. lawyers. Yeah! That's it! And then when it came
closer to out of space in our own time and space, it turned into a
travelling toaster assimilating us all into the hive of sameThought.

> --
> I love cooking with wine.
> Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:08:55 -0800, sf wrote:

> On Tue, 9 Mar 2010 11:44:16 -0800 (PST), "Bent Attorney Esq."
> > wrote:
>
>> It must have been a year ago, I was watching the Surreal Gourmet.
>
> the Surreal Gourmet was still on TV a year ago? I didn't know that.

Both Julia and The Galloping Gourmet were on TV just yesterday, too!

-sw

On Tue, 9 Mar 2010 11:44:16 -0800 (PST), "Bent Attorney Esq."
> wrote:

>It must have been a year ago, I was watching the Surreal Gourmet. The
>specific program took place in a high intensity kitchen in a hotel
>environment. Our hero was given a position as omlette cook. The way
>they made their omlettes is not the way I would make an omlette. For
>example, a western omlette was made in the following fashion:
>1. Saute' diced ham, onions, and other fashionable ingrededients if
>any.
>2. When done add scrambled eggs.
>3. Mix up.
>4. Finish omlette as normal.
>
>I don't like the idea of this. It turns out to be some kind of large
>western sandwich without it being between two slices of bread.
>I think that the filling should be put into/onto an omlette instead of
>being scrambled around in the eggs.

FWIW: When and where I grew up, the dish you describe was referred to
as "poor man's omelette". It's actually gussied-up scrambled eggs, as
you gathered. That technique may be derived from the Italian frittata,
although some places (Spain?) actually call it an omelette. They are
tasty, but in Western Culture we normally consider the omelette to be
as the French understand it. i.e. The eggs are beaten in a bowl (to
incorporate some air) and sauteed, being allowed to rise and become
fluffy. IF there is to be a filling, it is placed in one half of the
eggs as they cook, then the eggs are slid onto a plate in such as way
that the unfilled half folds over on the filled half. Garnish with
parsley of what have you..... with sweet omelettes getting an
appropriate topping.

Omelettes are frequently abused by the cook in an effort to get to
that light, moist tender state (unlike scrambled eggs which tend to be
heavy and dense), like milk, baking powder, flour, ground up
sheet-rock, and other gross stuff. It has been my experience that a
little salt and pepper and little dry vermouth (to thin the liquid)
are all that is needed. DOn't let your heat get too low, swirl the pan
to distribute the eggs evenly and have your fillings in place before
you start cooking.

The so-called Denver omelette and the Western Omlette are much the
same. Diced ham, sauteed onion and green bell pepper are all you need
in the filling. The proper Denver/Western is not a "clean out the
fridge" dish, any more than a chicken-liver omelette can be made with
bananas and ground beef.

Here's one to try.

Wilt baby spinach leaves in a small sauce pan, in a tsp of olive oil.
When they are tender, add a tsp or so of lemon juice, remove from heat
and cover. 2-3 eggs, the fresher the better, whisked with a pinch of
salt, a grind or two of black or white pepper, a jigger (1.5 oz) of
light dry vermouth, and whisk well but not overly long (the eggs will
become watery). Omelette pan should be preheated and oiled as
necessary. I use a silverstone lined pan, and it requires almost no
oil. Drop your egg mix into the pan, swirling to start the congealing.
Use a small wooden spatula, draw the congealed egg away from the
edges, allowing the uncooked eqq liquid to flow into the open space
and congeal. You should produce a light and fluffy egg, but don't
overcook. Place the wilted spinach on one half of the egg circle, top
with some precooked (room temp) popcorn shrimp. When the eggs are just
barely firm throughout, slide the omelette onto a plate, turning the
pan to fold the empty half of the circle onto the filled half. (It's
all in the wrist). Residual heat will finish the setting of the eggs.

Top with a bit of your favorite sauce (lemon butter, Tiger Sauce,
white Worcestershire, your call) sprinkle with some minced parsley and
serve. A tomato slice makes a nice side.

Have fun and stay with it. Some people have a knack for getting to
that moist fluffy state and make it look easy. Some (moi, for example)
had to work at it to get the right "feel" and timing.

Oh, let those eggs come to room temperature before you start making
your omelette. Cold eggs will chill the pan down too quickly and the
omelette dies in the process.

HTH

Alex