Fun Ideas For Simple Omelets

Omelets are in many ways the quintessential breakfast food: easily prepared, reliably tasty and endlessly open to individualization based on your personal preferences and skill level. Keep it classic and elegant by adding chives and a little cheese, or pour on the complicated fillings; it’s your call. Let’s learn the steps of frying a basic omelet and then explore just a few of the ways you can make it your own.

The basics
1. Crack two or three eggs in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and beat until blended.
2. Melt a teaspoon of butter in a nonstick skillet at medium heat. Pour the eggs into the center and stir for a few seconds.
3. Tilt the pan to spread the eggs. Then use a spatula to push them toward the center, forming a round shape and keeping the edges loose.
4. Let the eggs sit for about 10 seconds, and then give the pan a shake to loosen them.
5. Wait a minute or so for the eggs to begin to set, but make sure you add any filling before the middle fully cooks.
6. Fold the omelet with your spatula.
7. Slide the omelet onto a plate. Coat with another half teaspoon of butter, sprinkle any remaining filling on top and serve.

Filling ideas
Once you’ve mastered the basics of preparing an omelet, you may want to try out some different fillings. Remember, you should get your filling ready before you start cooking the eggs. Plan on somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 a cup of filling for every two eggs.

Experiment with different flavor combinations. Try various fresh herbs, like chives, parsley, basil, rosemary or cilantro mixed with shredded cheddar or gruyere. Then you can move on to combinations like spinach and feta cheese; scallions and smoked salmon; or broccoli, brie and toasted almonds.