 |
 |
 |
Jam Omelet Omelets are more commonly served as a first or main course than as a dessert. However, dessert omelets are classic, particularly those which are stuffed with jam and caramelized with sugar. It is customary to make larger omelets with about 5 eggs to serve 3 to 4 people, rather than individual ones. The technique for making an omelet is the same whether it is a savory or a dessert. A good pan is imperative. A steel omelet pan is the best because there are no angles, allowing you to make a smooth, round omelet. The pan is indestructible, and for that reason well suited to restaurant use. If it is not used practically every day, however, the eggs will stick. Therefore, a nonstick omelet pan is probably best for home use. In the French technique, an omelet is made by stirring the eggs with the back of a fork with one hand and agitating the pan with the other, in order to scramble the eggs as fast as possible and to produce the smallest curds so that the omelet is smooth and soft and the mixture well homogenized. The slower the mixing, the larger the curd; the curd size is a matter of personal taste. The eggs are moved constantly so that there is no time for a crust to form on the bottom of the pan, and so that all the eggs cook at once instead of layer by layer. When the mixture is solid, it is brought to one end of the inclined pan so that less of the surface is exposed to the heat, then left for 10 to 15 seconds so that a light skin forms on the bottom to enclose the omelet. The two "lips" of the omelet are brought together, the stuffing is added in the center, and the omelet is finally inverted on a plate. In our case, the stuffing is apricot jam. They can also be stuffed with fresh fruit and served with a sauce, or even flambéed. 5 eggs 2 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon butter 1/3 cup apricot jam 1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 1/3 cup Cognac or other brandy to flambé (optional) Beat the eggs and sugar with a fork so that the mixture is well combined and no little pieces of white are showing. Melt the butter in an 8-inch nonstick skillet or omelet pan, and when it starts to foam but is not too hot, add the eggs. (The eggs will set too fast, form a skin, and wrinkle if the butter is too hot and smoky.) With one hand stir the eggs with a fork, and shake the pan with the other hand. It should take approximately 1 minute on medium heat for the eggs to set. Incline the pan so that the eggs gather at one side when you stir for the last time. Hit the pan lightly on the corner of the stove to make sure that the eggs lie flat underneath, and let them cook for 10 to 15 seconds to form a thin skin. Bring one lip toward the center, folding it and pressing it into place with the back of the fork. Hold the pan in one hand, and with the other bang lightly at the junction of the handle to flip the omelet slightly into the skillet and to make the second lip come up so that it can be folded to meet the first lip. Spoon the j am between the lips. Hold the pan with one hand, hold a platter close to the pan with other, and invert the omelet onto the platter. If the omelet is not shaped right, press it into a nice oval with a kitchen towel. Sprinkle the omelet with powdered sugar. Heat a metal skewer in the flame of the stove until it is red, and mark a latticework with it on top of the omelet. The omelet is served this way or flambéed. To flambé the omelet (see also FLAMBED BANANAS), heat the alcohol gently until lukewarm to hot; do not let it boil. Pour the hot alcohol on top of the omelet and ignite it right away. Tip the platter and spoon the liquid back onto the omelet. Keep basting until it stops flaming. Serve at once. 3 OR 4 SERVINGS Return to Top | Back to Recipes |
|
© 2001 jacquespepin.net |