_Ingredients._—6 eggs, 1 saltspoonful of salt, ½ saltspoonful of
pepper, ¼ lb. of butter. _Mode._—Break the eggs into a basin, omitting
the whites of 3, and beat them up with the salt and pepper until
extremely light; then add 2 oz. of the butter broken into small pieces,
and stir this into the mixture. Put the other 2 oz. of butter into a
frying-pan, make it quite hot, and, as soon as it begins to bubble,
whisk the eggs, &c., very briskly for a minute or two, and pour them
into the pan; stir the omelet with a spoon one way until the mixture
thickens and becomes firm, and when the whole is set, fold the edges
over, so that the omelet assumes an oval form; and when it is nicely
brown on one side, and quite firm, it is done. To take off the rawness
on the upper side, hold the pan before the fire for a minute or two,
and brown it with a salamander or hot shovel. Serve very expeditiously
on a very hot dish, and never cook until it is just wanted. The flavour
of this omelet may be very much enhanced by adding minced parsley,
minced onion or eschalot, or grated cheese, allowing 1 tablespoonful
of the former, and half the quantity of the latter, to the above
proportion of eggs. Shrimps or oysters may also be added: the latter
should be scalded in their liquor, and then bearded and cut into small
pieces. In making an omelet, be particularly careful that it is not too
thin, and, to avoid this, do not make it in too large a frying-pan,
as the mixture would then spread too much, and taste of the outside.
It should also not be greasy, burnt, or too much done, and should be
cooked over a gentle fire, that the whole of the substance may be
heated without drying up the outside. Omelets are sometimes served
with gravy; but _this should never be poured over them_, but served in
a tureen, as the liquid causes the omelet to become heavy and flat,
instead of eating light and soft. In making the gravy, the flavour
should not overpower that of the omelet, and should be thickened with
arrowroot or rice flour. _Time._—With 6 eggs, in a frying-pan 18 or 20
inches round, 4 to 6 minutes. _Average cost_, 9_d._ _Sufficient_ for 4
persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.
[Illustration: OMELET.]
OMELET, The Cure’s, or Omelette au Thon.
_Ingredients._—Take for 6 persons, the roes of 2 carp;[A] bleach them,
by putting them, for 5 minutes, in boiling water slightly salted; a
piece of fresh tunny the size of a hen’s egg, to which add a small
shalot already chopped; hash up together the roe and the tunny, so
as to mix them well, and throw the whole into a saucepan, with a
sufficient quantity of very good butter: whip it up until the butter
is melted! This constitutes the specialty of the omelet. Take a second
piece of butter, _à discrétion_, mix it with parsley and herbs, place
it in a long-shaped dish destined to receive the omelet; squeeze the
juice of a lemon over it, and place it on hot embers. Beat up 12 eggs
(the fresher the better); throw up the sauté of roe and tunny, stirring
it so as to mix all well together; then make your omelet in the usual
manner, endeavouring to turn it out long, thick, and soft. Spread it
carefully on the dish prepared for it, and serve at once. This dish
ought to be reserved for recherché déjeûners, or for assemblies where
amateurs meet who know how to eat well: washed down with a good old
wine, it will work wonders.
_Note._—The roe and the tunny must be beaten up (sauté) without
allowing them to boil, to prevent their hardening, which would prevent
them mixing well with the eggs. Your dish should be hollowed towards
the centre, to allow the gravy to concentrate, that it may be helped
with a spoon. The dish ought to be slightly heated, otherwise the cold
china will extract all the heat from the omelet.
OMELETTE AUX CONFITURES, or Jam Omelet.
_Ingredients._—6 eggs, 4 oz. of butter, 3 tablespoonfuls of apricot,
strawberry, or any jam that may be preferred. _Mode._—Make an omelet,
only instead of doubling it over, leave it flat in the pan. When quite
firm, and nicely brown on one side, turn it carefully on to a hot dish,
spread over the middle of it the jam, and fold the omelet over on each
side; sprinkle sifted sugar over, and serve very quickly. A pretty
dish of small omelets may be made by dividing the batter into 3 or 4
portions, and frying them separately; they should then be spread each
one with a different kind of preserve, and the omelets rolled over.
Always sprinkle sweet omelets with sifted sugar before being sent to
table. _Time._—4 to 6 minutes. _Average cost_, 1_s._ 2_d._ _Sufficient_
for 4 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.
OMELET, Bachelor’s.
_Ingredients._—2 or 3 eggs, 2 oz. of butter, teaspoonful of flour, ½
teacupful of milk. _Mode._—Make a thin cream of the flour and milk;
then beat up the eggs, mix all together, and add a pinch of salt and a
few grains of cayenne. Melt the butter in a small frying-pan, and, when
very hot, pour in the batter. Let the pan remain for a few minutes over
a clear fire; then sprinkle upon the omelet some chopped herbs and a
few shreds of onion; double the omelet dexterously, and shake it out
of the pan on to a hot dish. A simple sweet omelet can be made by the
same process, substituting sugar or preserve for the chopped herbs.
_Time._—2 minutes. _Average cost_, 6_d._ _Sufficient_ for 2 persons.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
OMELET, Plain Sweet.
_Ingredients._—6 eggs, 4 oz. of butter, 2 oz. of sifted sugar.
_Mode._—Break the eggs into a basin, omitting the whites of 3; whisk
them well, adding the sugar and 2 oz. of the butter, which should be
broken into small pieces, and stir all these ingredients well together.
Make the remainder of the butter quite hot in a small frying-pan, and
when it commences to bubble, pour in the eggs, &c. Keep stirring them
until they begin to set; then turn the edges of the omelet over, to
make it an oval shape, and finish cooking it. To brown the top, hold
the pan before the fire, or use a salamander, and turn it carefully
on to a _very hot_ dish; sprinkle sifted sugar over, and serve.
_Time._—From 4 to 6 minutes. _Average cost_, 10_d._ _Sufficient_ for 4
persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.