Making The Best Omelet, Omurice (Japanese Omelet) And Other Omelet Ideas

At River Run, my restaurant back in the old days, we were well-known for breakfast, therefore, we made a LOT of omelets — and I mean a LOT.

We basically had three rules when it came to omelet making. The first is to use canola oil, not butter or olive oil (they burn). The second is to get the pan hot before adding the oil. The third is to finish the omelet under a broiler if possible, which makes it puff up and form ridges and brown ever so slightly. Since those days, however, I usually use butter and find it much easier to just flip the omelet rather than putting it under a broiler. A broiler or even an oven is better, but for home or outdoor cooking, it’s not a necessity.

A couple of other rules of thumb are to allow for about one cup of fillings for a three-egg omelet, and to add about one tablespoon of water for each omelet and whisk really well.

Omelets are a short-order dish and should be made and served right away. It’s easy enough to make three or four pretty quickly, but I wouldn’t try making a lot to avoid having to try to keep them hot for a crowd.

Ingredients:

3 fresh eggs

1 tablespoon water

1 to 2 teaspoons canola oil

1 cup filling of your choice (see suggestions)

Directions:

1. Preheat the broiler if using.

2. Whisk the eggs together in a bowl. Add the water and whisk some more. Set a small skillet over medium-high heat for a minute or so. Add the oil and heat, rotating the pan slightly to spread the oil evenly.

3. When quite hot, add the eggs. As soon as the eggs start to set, just a few seconds, begin pushing the edges of the omelet toward the center with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

4. When the bottom of the omelet seems to be set but the top is still quite runny, put the pan under the broiler, 3 to 4 inches from the heat. If using cheese, sprinkle it on just before you put the omelet under the broiler. Broil until the eggs are set and puffed, about one minute. If the top begins to brown a little bit, that’s OK.

If not using the broiler, continue to push the eggs to the center of the pan, allowing the unset eggs to run under the set eggs and continue to cook. You can also use the spatula to lift up one side of the omelet and quickly and carefully flip the omelet over so it cooks on both sides. It’s much easier than it sounds!

Pulled pork, sautéed onions and cheddar

5. Remove the omelet from the pan. Put the warm filling of your choice on one half of the omelet, fold over the other half and serve immediately.

Suggested fillings (but the possibilities are endless):

Cooked sausage, sage, chopped green onions and grated cheddar

Sautéed spinach, caramelized onions and feta cheese

Roast beef, mashed potatoes, peas and gravy

Andouille sausage, sautéed bell peppers and onions and cheddar

Grilled shrimp, roasted red pepper and chèvre

Sautéed apples and pears and blue cheese

Grilled chicken, corn, tomatillos, red onion, Monterey jack cheese and salsa

Bacon, hamburger, tomatoes, onions and blue cheese

Steamed green beans, sautéed garlic and cream cheese

Ingredients:

Meatloaf and cheddar

Ham, black-eyed peas and cheddar

Omurice (Japanese Fried Rice Omelet)

My daughter, June, recently asked me to make this for her for breakfast one morning. She loves anime, manga and all things related to Japanese culture. I had heard of it before but never made it, so I grabbed a couple of old cookbooks and there it was. Turns out there are several versions, but it seems it’s a very popular dish in Japanese home cooking and diners, where the servers decorate/garnish the omurice tableside with ketchup.

1 cup cooked rice

1 tablespoon ketchup, plus more for decoration

1/2 onion, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons chicken stock

1 to 2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 large eggs

Directions:

1. Heat one tablespoon of the canola oil in a medium-size pan or skillet until hot, and then add the minced onion and cook for one to two minutes until it starts to soften. Add the ketchup, soy sauce and one tablespoon of the chicken stock and continue to cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add the rice, breaking it up with your spatula or spoon. When the rice is heated through, remove the pan from the heat.

2. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat and add the remaining canola oil to the pan. Let the oil get hot and rotate the pan so the entire surface is covered. Whisk the eggs and the remaining tablespoon of chicken stock until they are well-blended. Add to the hot pan and cook while pushing the edges of the omelet to the center. Continue cooking until the omelet is set on the bottom and only slightly runny on top. I like to flip the omelet at this point, but you can also just keep cooking until the top is almost done, which is only a few seconds. You do not want to brown the bottom of the omelet. Remove the omelet from the heat.

3. You now have a couple of choices on how to plate the omurice. You can place the fried rice in the middle of the omelet while it is still in the pan and form a log by folding each side of the omelet over the rice using the spatula or your hands, creating a seam on top. Then take a plate and gently flip the omurice over and onto the plate, where the seam will be on the bottom.

Another method is to form the rice on a plate in a mound or small football shape and slide or flip the omelet over and on top of the plated rice. Then take the spatula, chopsticks or your hands and fold the edges of the omelet under the fried rice.

Either way works, and once plated comes the fun part of decorating with the remaining ketchup. After the ketchup décor, garnish with parsley or chopped scallions and enjoy!

Prep time: 5 to 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Yield: Each omelet serves one to two