Omelette Molière

An Omelette and a Glass of Wine

One of my favorite culinary books, is An Omelette and a Glass of Wine by Elizabeth David.  Sadly, she passed away in 1992.  The book is a series of short pieces on food and wine.  She is described as the woman who became Britain’s greatest 20th-century cookery writer.  The BBC did a drama about her life in 2006 called Elizabeth David: A Life in Recipes.  Let’s just say she had a rather steamy life, and I’m not talking about in the kitchen.

Here are a few brilliant quotes from her book.

“But one of the main points about the enjoyment of food and wine seems to me to lie in having what you want when you want it and in any particular combination you fancy.”

“As everybody knows there is only one infallible recipe for the perfect omelette: your own.”

Omelette Molière

By Elizabeth David – An Omelette and a Glass of Wine

She had a few basic pointers in the style and method of making an omelette. Firstly, don’t beat the eggs too hard, they should be fluffy and light, not exhausted. A few gentle whisks with a fork are enough. Secondly, be careful never to let the filling overpower the egg and butter flavor of the dish.

3 eggs
1 Tbs Parmesan, finely grated
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs gruyère
1 Tbs heavy cream

Beat 1 tablespoon of finely grated Parmesan with 3 eggs. Heat the pan on the stove for about a minute. Put a tablespoon of butter in the pan. When the butter bubbles, and is about to change color, pour in the eggs.

Add one tablespoon of gruyère cut into small dice and one tablespoon of heavy cream. Tilt the pan towards you so that some of the mixture from the far edge runs into the middle. Then tilt the pan away from you. In the time it takes to do this twice, the gruyère will have started to melt, and your omelette is ready. Fold it over in three with a fork, and slide it on to the plate. Serve instantly.