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How to
Make an
Omelette and Scrambled Eggs |
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What
is the diference between scrambled egg and omelette? -
Both are cooked whisked eggs. the scrambled eggs are cooked to
be loose and soft, where an omelette is formed into the shape of
the skillet and often has a filling. |
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Omelettes, like
scrambled eggs, cook very quickly. Always have your filling ingredients
chopped, cooked, and ready before you begin cooking the eggs;
Water, not milk,
is recommended for omelette egg mixtures. The water turns to steam,
producing a light, airy omelette. Milk is great for creamy scrambled
eggs but omelettes require water to give them their lightness;
For omelettes
or scrambled eggs use 2-3 large eggs per person, the fresher the
eggs the better, but up to two weeks old is fine.
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Break
the eggs carefully into a bowl and season with salt and freshly milled
pepper. Add a bit of a milk or water (1 tbsp for 1
egg). Blend the eggs
and milk with a large fork or whisk –
the number one rule is not to over-mix: |
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For the omelette - the size of the pan
is vital: too small and the omelette will be thick, spongy and difficult
to fold, too large and the eggs will spread out like a thin pancake and
become dry and tough. For a 2- or 3-egg omelette, the base should
measure 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter. I recommend using a mixture of oil
and butter, ½ teaspoon of each. Place the pan on the heat and let it get
quite hot, add the butter and oil and as soon as it melts swirl it
round, tilting the pan so that the base and the sides get coated:
For the
scrambled eggs
- take a
small, heavy-based saucepan and place it over a medium heat – this is
really the only rule; if the heat is too high, the eggs will become dry
and flaky.
Add half the butter to the pan and swirl it around so that the base and
about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the sides of the pan are moistened with it. |
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Then, when the butter has
melted and is just beginning to foam, pour in the beaten eggs: |
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For the
omelette - turn the heat up to its highest setting. Then when the
butter is foaming, pour the eggs into the pan, tilting it to and fro to
spread the eggs evenly over the base. Leave it on the heat without
moving it for a count of five.
After this time a bubbly frill
will appear round the edge. Now you can tilt the pan to 45 degrees and,
using a wooden spoon or tablespoon, draw the
edge of the omelette into the centre. The liquid egg will flow into the
space, filling it. Now tip the pan the other way and do the same thing.
Keep tilting it backwards and forwards, pulling the edges so that the
egg can travel into the space left – all this will only take half a
minute. |
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Soon there will be just a small
amount of liquid left, just on the surface, so now is the time to start
folding. Tilt the pan again and flip one side of the omelette into the
centre then fold again. Take the pan to a warm plate and the last fold
will be when you tip the omelette on to the plate. |
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For the
scrambled eggs -
using a wooden fork or a wooden spoon with a
point, start stirring briskly using a backwards and forwards movement
all through the liquid egg, getting into the corners of the pan to
prevent it from sticking. Don't, whatever you
do, turn the heat up: just be patient and keep on scrambling away until
you calculate that three-quarters of the egg is now a creamy, solid mass
and a quarter is still liquid: |
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At this point,
remove the pan from the heat, add the rest of the butter and continue
scrambling with the fork or spoon. The eggs will carry on cooking in the
heat from the pan. As soon as there is no liquid egg left, serve the
scrambled eggs absolutely immediately. The secret of success is removing
the pan at the right stage, because overcooking makes the eggs dry and
flaky: |
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Once you've
mastered the art of allowing them to finish cooking off the heat, you
will never have a problem. If you like, you can add a little double
cream or crème fraîche as well as the butter. Serve on
buttered toast or bagels or as a dish in its own
right: |
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