Sometimes the best is simply something exactly that: simple. Yet, so few can achieve greatness, when it comes to the classic French omelet. One of the best things we ate this year was Bar Bête’s rendition with brandied beurre blanc. It’s no surprise though it comes from Quebec native Chef Marc, the owner of Carroll Gardens neighborhood restaurant Bar Bête. We’re pretty sure it’s a requirement to be Quebecois to know how to make the perfect omelet. What ensued after though we absolute obsession with needing to have this omelet in our life. We were inspired to create the classic French omelet at home, and it’s both as easy and not as easy as you think.
A Few Key Tips
The classic French omelet, like the one at Bar Bête, is like custard on the inside, and rolled up with absolutely no brow on the outside. We like to add some Boursin and snipped chives. If we’re feeling like The Bear on FX, we’ll crush some potato chips on top. Regardless of what accoutrements you place in and on the classic French omelet, the key is to cook it just right. These are a few tips to achieve the perfect Bar Bête omelet.
- Butter. There’s no way around it. You’re going to need the butter first to make your omelet pan non-stick, so that the eggs don’t stick or brown. Also you’ll want to throw about a tablespoon into the eggs while they cook. This will slow down the process
- Don’t over-beat your eggs. You should beat your eggs until there are no whites, but not so much that the’ll cook up fluffy like a souffle omelet. That’s a mother recipe.
- Keep those eggs moving in the pan. This is a recipe like risotto, you’re going to need to babysit. You’ll want to move the eggs around with a fork constantly so that you form those soft curds.
- Pull the eggs off the heat the moment you’ve rolled up your omelet. If you leave them in the pan the omelet will continue to cook. You’ll lose that custard-like center which is the whole point of the perfect omelet.
Ingredients
3 organic eggs
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 additional tablespoon butter, for finishing
Fresh snipped chives
Maldon sea salt
Optional Ingredients: Boursin and potato chips
Directions
Whisk your three eggs in a bowl with a fork until there are no signs of whites. Heat your skillet over medium flame for about 30 seconds. Add in about 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl, making sure your butter doesn’t brown. Once your butter is melted, add in your eggs with another half tablespoon or so of the butter. This technique to create the classic French omelet will slow down the cooking process.
The moment your eggs hit the skillet, lightly and quickly whisk the center with your fork. This will create soft curds. When the bottom is just about set and your center of the omelet is the right consistency, sprinkle in the Maldon sea salt. This is also the point where you can add in the Boursin or any filings. Quickly start to roll your omelet. If you have enough butter in the pan, this will be a piece of cake. You can even roll it with the fork you’re using, or use a spatula. Pull immediately off the heat, roll onto your plate. Serve with the optional crushed potato chips and enjoy.
