Break three eggs one after the other, separating the yolks
from the whites, and putting the yolks in one basin and the
whites in another. Mix the yolks well together with a fork.
Whisk the whites to a stiffish froth. Melt an ounce of butter in
the Omelette-pan and let it get thoroughly hot over the lamp.
Now add the yolks of the eggs to the whipped whites, and add
also the chopped herbs and a saltspoonful of salt✪ Omelette aux Herbes. Pour the
mixture into the Omelette-pan, the heat under which should be
moderate. Let it alone for two minutes, having smoothed the
surface with a palette-knife. Keep the fire rather low. Slide
the palette-knife under the edges of the Omelette so as to detach
them from the pan, and, as soon as you see that the underpart is
setting nicely, pass the palette-knife under the entire Omelette,
double it over, and turn it at once into the hot dish. The
Omelette is made firmer by passing a hot glazing-iron closely
over its surface whilst the bottom is setting, but in any case the
upper part remains frothy and is buried as the Omelette turns
over in dishing.
It is this variety of Omelette which adapts itself so well to a
bed of hot vegetables, minced ham or tongue, or fish, laid ready
406
OMELETTES
in the hot dish to receive it. These additions can be of course
inserted between the folds of either kind of Omelette, but, as I
have said before, the Omelette cannot be so light as it would be
without them. The second form of Omelette can be made with
flour or five eggs, not omitting any of the whites.
The asparagus as suggested for the first kind of Omelette
is even more suited to the second, served as a bed in the
hot dish. Any nice vegetables, such as peas, French beans,
flageolets, sprigs of cauliflower, artichoke bottoms, sliced
Jerusalem artichokes, or young broad beans freed from their
shells, are suitable. They must all have been previously cooked,
allowed to get cold, and then lightly tossed in butter just before
they are wanted. A dust of grated cheese improves most of
these, and of course the herbs can be omitted from the Omelette
and only parsley used in their place. A bed of tomatoes is very
popular. Wyvern suggests for this six moderately-sized tomatoes.
Blanch them for three minutes in scalding water, so that the
unwholesome skin may be easily taken off. Put half an ounce
of butter and a finely-sliced half-ounce shallot into a small
stewpan. Fry till beginning to turn golden, then empty into
the pan the Avhole of the tomatoes sliced thinly. Stir round, add
a teaspoonful of freshly-ground black pepper straight from the
pepper-mill, a saltspoonful of powdered dry basil, and one of salt.
Stir for two minutes over a fairly brisk fire, to prevent catching.
Do not pass the tomatoes through a sieve, but just before you put
them in the hot dish ready for the Omelette add either a table-
spoonful of white sauce, or stir in, off the jive, the yolk of a
raw egg.
Page 281 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Break three eggs one after the other, separating the yolks from the whites, and putting the yolks in one basin and the whites in another. Mix the yolks well together with a fork. Whisk the whites to a stiffish froth. Melt an ounce of butter in the Omelette-pan and let it get thoroughly hot over the lamp. Now add the yolks of the eggs to the whipped whites, and add also the chopped herbs and a saltspoonful of salt. Pour the mixture into the Omelette-pan, the heat under which should be moderate. Let it alone for two minutes, having smoothed the surface with a palette-knife. Keep the fire rather low. Slide the palette-knife under the edges of the Omelette so as to detach them from the pan, and, as soon as you see that the underpart is setting nicely, pass the palette-knife under the entire Omelette, double it over, and turn it at once into the hot dish. The Omelette is made firmer by passing a hot glazing-iron closely over its surface whilst the bottom is setting, but in any case the upper part remains frothy and is buried as the Omelette turns over in dishing.
It is this variety of Omelette which adapts itself so well to a bed of hot vegetables, minced ham or tongue, or fish, laid ready
in the hot dish to receive it. These additions can be of course inserted between the folds of either kind of Omelette, but, as I have said before, the Omelette cannot be so light as it would be without them. The second form of Omelette can be made with four or five eggs, not omitting any of the whites.
The asparagus as suggested for the first kind of Omelette is even more suited to the second, served as a bed in the hot dish. Any nice vegetables, such as peas, French beans, flageolets, sprigs of cauliflower, artichoke bottoms, sliced Jerusalem artichokes, or young broad beans freed from their shells, are suitable. They must all have been previously cooked, allowed to get cold, and then lightly tossed in butter just before they are wanted. A dust of grated cheese improves most of these, and of course the herbs can be omitted from the Omelette and only parsley used in their place. A bed of tomatoes is very popular. Wyvern suggests for this six moderately-sized tomatoes. Blanch them for three minutes in scalding water, so that the unwholesome skin may be easily taken off. Put half an ounce of butter and a finely-sliced half-ounce shallot into a small stewpan. Fry till beginning to turn golden, then empty into the pan the Avhole of the tomatoes sliced thinly. Stir round, add a teaspoonful of freshly-ground black pepper straight from the pepper-mill, a saltspoonful of powdered dry basil, and one of salt. Stir for two minutes over a fairly brisk fire, to prevent catching. Do not pass the tomatoes through a sieve, but just before you put them in the hot dish ready for the Omelette add either a tablespoonful of white sauce, or stir in, off the fire, the yolk of a raw egg.
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Omelette aux Herbes