Harper's cook book encyclopædia

Omelet with Oysters and “ Pigs in Blankets.” — Break in a bowl six fresh eggs, season them with one salt-spoonful of salt, half a one of white pepper ; beat them with a silver fork for one minute only. Take care to mix well the white and the yolk ; this is the way to prevent the omelet from being watery. Put one quart of freshly opened oysters in a small saucepan with their liquor, boil them only one minute, drain them, and dry them with a towel. Select one dozen of the largest ones and reserve them for the “ pigs in blankets.” Trim the others, remove the tendons, and cut them in three pieces. Put one table - spoonful of butter in a small saucepan. When melted put the cut oysters in it, with one saltspoonful of salt and half a one of pepper. Cook two minutes, tossing them. Put over a very brisk fire a frying-pan with half a table-spoonful of butter. When hot, but not brown, pour the eggs in, and cook half a minute. With a fork bring towards you the first fold. Let the second [illustration: Omelet, Parsley / Omelet, Tomato] one form, and do the same thing. After the third fold the omelet is sufficiently done to receive the hot oysters. Strain them from their gravy, put them in the centre of the omelet from one end to the other, then slip the fork under the part of the omelet near you and fold the omelet. Put a hot platter at the opposite end and slip the omelet gently on it. Before making the omelet prepare the “ pigs in blankets.” Cut twelve thin slices out of x/z lb. of bacon ; put them in the frying - pan for one minute. Fry only on one side. Wrap each oyster in one slice of bacon, putting the fried slice nearest the oyster. Roll it up, and secure it with a tiny wooden skewer like a toothpick. Broil two minutes on each side, remove the skewer, place around the omelet, and serve very hot. Omelet, Parsley. — Beat two eggs, yolks and whites together, until very light. Mix one teaspoonful of cornstarch with a scant half-teacupful of milk ; when well stirred and smooth, pour this over the eggs, and beat all well together for a few minutes ; add a little chopped parsley. Cook as other omelets. Omelet, Potato. — Take a large, freshly baked potato, break it open, and scoop out the inside with a spoon. Beat this till smooth, and mix with it a little pepper and salt, a dessertspoonful of lemon-juice, and the yolks of four eggs. A minute or two before the omelet is to be fried add the whites of the eggs beaten to a firm froth. Fry in the usual way, and serve on a hot dish. Garnish with parsley. Time to fry, five or six minutes. Sufficient for two persons. Omelet, Preserve or Jam. — Beat thoroughly the yolks of six eggs. Add 3 ozs. of sugar, and if any flavoring is added be careful that it harmonizes with the jam that is to be used. A strawberry omelet may be flavored with orange-flower water, an apple-marmalade omelet with grated lemon-rind. Beat the whites of the eggs to a firm froth, and just before the omelet is poured into the pan mix them with the rest. Dissolve 2 ozs. of butter in the omelet-pan, pour in the mixture, and fry the omelet in the usual way. Before folding it, lay two or three table-spoonfuls of jam in the centre. Sprinkle a little sugar over the top, brown by holding over it a salamander or red-hot fireshovel, and serve immediately before the omelet can fall. Time, four to six minutes.