Omelet with fresh herbs
In this classic French recipe, fines herbes — fresh parsley, chives, tarragon and chervil — are added to beaten eggs to make a fluffy, tasty omelet. Preparation is super simple providing you can get hold of the right ingredients. As fresh chervil is not available everywhere, you can substitute another herb, such as basil, or just leave it out.
There are a few tricks to making a great omelet. The first is to use a well-seasoned omelet pan. The second is to add a spoonful of water to the eggs and whisk them until they’re frothy and well blended. The third is to make sure that the butter or olive oil in your omelet pan (you can use either or a combination) gets good and hot before you add the eggs. The final trick is to use a wooden spatula to gently lift the edges of the omelet as it cooks, allowing the runny eggs to slip beneath. This creates texture and body.
And what if you’re serving more than one person? You can double the ingredients below and make a giant omelet for two, or — my preference — you can make and serve the omelets one at a time. That makes this a complicated dish to serve to a tableful of guests.
Serve the omelet(s) as a brunch or lunch dish, or for a simple supper, with the sides of your choice. In France, omelets are often served with frites (French fries) and/or a salad. If serving wine, I’d recommend a sturdy red, like a Bordeaux or a Côtes du Rhone.
The quantities below will make one omelet.
1 stem fresh tarragon
2 stems fresh parsley
3 stems fresh chervil (or substitute 1 stem fresh basil)
4 fresh chives
3 eggs
1 tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. butter, olive oil or a combination
Strip the leaves from the tarragon, parsley and chervil. If using basil, strip off 2-3 leaves. Place all the leaves on a cutting board, together with the chives. Chop finely.
Break the eggs into a bowl. Add the water. Whisk until light and frothy.
Add the chopped herbs, salt and pepper. Whisk again.
Heat the butter and/or olive oil to sizzling in an omelet pan. Swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides. When it’s good and hot, pour in the eggs.
Turn down the heat to medium high. Swirl to coat the sides of the pan. Using a wooden spatula, lift an edge of the omelet to let the runny eggs slip beneath. Repeat, working your way around the pan. Allow the omelet to brown for a couple of minutes, then slide onto a plate, flipping the top over to create a fold.
Serve piping hot, possibly with a few tender greens alongside, as shown above. Serves 1.
