DH’s favorite meal is Breakfast. Because of this, nurse eggs have been on my mind lately. In case you missed the last egg recipe, store you can find it HERE .
At brunch a while back, can’t remember where, I half hazardly put together an omelet. It was from an omelet stations were you request your ingredients like picking toppings at Cherry on Top {a frozen yogurt store}. Feeling crazy and putting little to no thought into my selection “Feta Cheese, Bacon Bits and Chives” were the choices. The chef pulled it together and I had no idea what the result would be. Luckily it was good. Really good. After sharing a bite with DH, ignored his shrimp with cocktail sauce, he returned to the omelet station to order himself one. He became a huge fan of this omelet, saying it was an ‘Award Winning’ combination. I blushed.
Today I am going to share with you how to DIY.
**side note** If my choice of ingredients is just ‘not your thing’, consider some other ingredients. Here are a few options:
- For all the Chili connoisseurs out there, a Chili omelet would put a smile on your face.
- The Denver omelet, AKA the Western omelet. A very basic blend of diced ham, onions and bell peppers. Cheese is optional but delish.
- The Tex-Mex omelet (green and red peppers, green chilies, black olives and jack cheese) or a Gazpacho omelet (avocado, tomato, onion, cucumber and jack cheese).
- California omelet; bacon, avocado and cheddar with salsa on top. Ole.
Now back to the Award Winning Omelet. First, let’s grab a few basics.
- A non-stick skillet, size dependent on the number of eggs in your omelet
- spatula for working the eggs
- A fork or whisk to whisk the eggs
- A bowl for mixing
- butter
- 3 eggs are the preferred amount for one omelet, 5 eggs for two.
Next, have all your fillings selected and prepared before starting the omelet. On this bright and shiny morning, garlic and sauteed mushrooms were added to the mix.
Buy Pancetta that has been pre-diced, a huge time saver. Place the meat in the pan over medium high heat and let it start–a-cookin’.
Next, rub clean your mushrooms and slice them thin.
Then grab your garlic clove and give it a good mince.
Next chop your chives.
Break open your eggs.
Then combine your eggs and salt. Beat until combined but not too frothy. Set this aside.
After the pancetta has browned, drain off the extra grease from the pan. Use a large serving spoon to do the job while tilting the pan. The tilting allows the grease to pool in the base of the pan for easy access. Be careful – hot stuff here.
Leave enough grease to sauté the mushrooms and garlic, about 1 Tbsp. Then return the pan to the heat and add them right on top.
Give them a good stir and let the magic happen.
When the mixture looks like this, remove it from the heat. The pancetta is not burned and the mushrooms are not soggy. Good Job!
Next melt 2 tsp. of butter over medium-high in a non-stick pan. When the butter stops foaming, pour the egg mixture into the skillet.
Without moving the skillet, allow the eggs to set on the bottom (this should only take a few seconds). As the eggs set, take a spatula and push the edges of the egg mixture in, allowing the uncooked eggs on top to flow underneath and make direct contact with the skillet. Repeat this process at various spots around the edge of the setting egg mixture until very little liquid is remaining.
When top is thickened and no visible liquid egg remains, add the feta cheese and mushroom pancetta filling in a row.
Fold the omelet in half and slide it onto a warm plate. The whole process should take just 2 or 3 minutes.
Garnish with your chives and/or
MORE feta cheese.
I ate three of them.
- Award Winning Omelet; Pancetta, Sauteed Mushrooms, Feta Cheese and Chives
- Ingredients
- 5 large eggs (Beat eggs with ¼ teaspoon salt)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 oz pancetta diced
- 2 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 4 oz crumbled feta
- ¼ cup diced chives
- Heat a 10-inch heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta, drain off excess grease then sauté mushrooms and minced garlic until browned and tender, 3 minutes. Remove mixture from the pan and set aside.
- Add butter to the pan. After the butter has melted, pour in the eggs. Cook, lifting edges to let uncooked egg run underneath and shaking skillet occasionally to loosen omelet, until almost set. Add the Feta cheese and pancetta-mushroom mixture. Fold and slide out onto a large plate. Sprinkle with Feta and chives.
A huge thank you to Chef Jon for pulling the omelet together while I worked the lens. Stay tuned friends. There is talk in the air about an Iron Chef Style competition between myself and Chef Jon. This frightens me because Chef Jon can really really cook. Sadly, my instincts tell me I wouldn’t have the ‘cuisine that reigned supreme’.
Off to watch cooking shows, read every cookbook in the house and take copious notes.
Have a great weekend friends.
You make it look so easy Kathleen! Wondering if the clean-up crew from Iron Chef could come over (and maybe move in) for this little joust? If you have ever eaten at our house, you know I am not kidding about the mess!
I thought those hands were a little manly – LOL….. specially love that photo at the end!! Gorgeous couple they are. 🙂