Omelettes - très Français!
la cuisine français for centuries.
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An omelette in France is more than likely to be a simple one served plain or filled with ham, cheese, or mushrooms. A savory omelette will be served with fried potatoes or a green salad or both. (As an aside, Louis la Vache really likes the way the French fry potatoes. The pommes de terre are cut into chunks and fried in a cast iron skillet with duck fat until the potato chunks are crisp and brown on the outside, but remain soft inside. The results are superb.) The omelettes, as described above, are very common on most of the brasserie menus in France. Occasionally, a fine restaurant will serve an omelette in one form or another, either savory or sweet, but omelettes are more appropriately brasserie food - and that is not a slam at brasserie food. Louis la Vache really enjoys the food found in les brasseries de France!
Louis has noticed a disconnect between the frequency and variety of omelettes today compared to how often they appear in old cook books. Louis can barely pick up a general-interest French cookbook and not find a plethora of omelette recipes, although recently published books present significantly fewer omelette recipes than those from fifty or more years ago.
Louis has enjoyed looking at old cookbooks in Librarie Gourmande in the V ème. One of the earliest texts he has found about French cooking is a single large chapter in the manuscript called Le Ménagier de Paris. Written around 1393, Le Ménagier has two recipes for alumelles, an early reference to flat omelettes. In 1653, François Pierre de la Varenne published his Le Pâtissier François with 22 recettes for sweet and savory aumelettes, many of which are almost identical to recettes pour omelettes published three centuries later.
The place of the omelette today in a French meal is not as a breakfast dish, but as an entrée (a first course) or a dessert. Add a little extra milk and sugar to a basic omelette preparation and you have a custard. Add a little flour and the omelette becomes a crêpe batter. (And here, too.)
In former times, it was recommended that the frying pan used for omelettes be only used for that purpose. Today, with the availability of non-stick surfaces, this is less important. [The only use Louis la Vache recommends, and even then with no enthusiasm, for non-stick pans is for the making of omelettes. Louis could give you a whole dissertation on the reasons for that, but won't do so here. If you want Louis's reasons for this, give him your e-mail address in the comments section below and he will respond.) Louis doesn't own a non-stick pan, preferring his All-Clad LTD 8" skillet (available at Williams-Sonoma for readers aux États-Unis) for making omelettes.]
The eggs should only be beaten at the last minute and then only just enough to blend them. The beating should be done with a fork, not a whisk.
Some books call for lifting the edges of the eggs as they cook to allow uncooked egg to flow underneath the cooked eggs. When the eggs are about two-thirds set, the whole mass is flipped so the cooked side is up. This produces a generally drier omelette than the other common method where the eggs are stirred with the flat side of the fork until they are mostly set. Louis likes this latter method better because the eggs don’t have to be flipped and the result is soft and moist. If any holes develop in the omelette while it is cooking, some of the uncooked egg can be moved with the back of the fork to patch the hole. If Louis is making the omelette for someone who wants a drier omelette, he places the finished omelette in a warm oven for a few minutes to allow it cook a little further. The omelette should always be served on a warm plate.
Since Louis knew from the start that he would have a lot of omelette recipes to choose from for this post, he decided to limit the sources to older ones. They range from the earliest recipe he found that was called an “omelette,” published in 1656, to some relatively modern recipes from 1938. The recipes in the article are chronologically presented, rather than being listed by whether they are savory or sweet. Most of the recipes are common. For example, Louis could have chosen a recipe for omelette de champignon, mushroom omelette, from almost any of the books, not just one or two.
Pierre de Lune. Le Cuisinier, 1656. Reprinted in L’art de la cuisine française au xviie siècle, Paris: Éditions Payot & Rivages, 1995. In French.
De Lune presents 22 omelette recipes, both savory and sweet. They are mostly in a section of his book entitled “Egg dishes for entrées and entremets appropriate for Lenten days.” Most of the recipes call for 12 to 24 eggs. Because of the large number of eggs required for each recipe, it probably can be assumed that de Lune was preparing omelettes for large groups of diners and that the eggs used in those days were much smaller than today. He provides very little information as to what the final omelette should look like, but most of his omelettes apparently were flat presentations. Louis gives you modern mesures américaines, American measurements.
INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons butter
125 to 150 grams (4 - 5 ounces) mushrooms, one or more types, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley
fine salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 extra-large eggs
freshly ground nutmeg
lemon juice
METHOD:
1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat.
2. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender.
3. Add the parsley and stir to mix. Set aside.
4. In the meantime, break the eggs into a bowl.
5. Season the eggs with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
6. Beat the eggs with a fork until just mixed.
7. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
8. Add the remaining butter and allow it to melt.
9. Add the beaten eggs. Use the flat side of a fork to stir the eggs until they start to set.
10. Smooth the top and leave the eggs to cook.
11. Arrange the cooked mushrooms on the center of the eggs.
12. Fold the side of the omelette up to form it into a triangle.
13. Transfer to a heated serving plate, sprinkle lightly with lemon juice, and serve.
INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1 tablespoon orange-flower water
50 grams (1 3/4 ounces) almond powder
2 extra-large egg whites
pinch fine salt
50 grams (1 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 extra-large egg yolk
soft butter
granulated sugar, for dusting
Crème Pâtisserie
INGREDIENTS pour la Crème Pâtisserie:
200 millilitres (6.75 ounces) whole milk
50 millilitres (1.75 ounces) heavy cream
1 small cinnamon stick
2 extra-large egg yolks
60 grams (2 ounces) granulated sugar
pinch fine salt
20 grams (.75 ounces) cornstarch
METHOD:
1. Prepare the crème pâtisserie: Place the milk, cream, and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan over medium heat. Scald the milk and cream.
2. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the cinnamon to infuse.
3. In the meantime, place the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk together with the sugar until light yellow.
4. Whisk in the salt and starch.
5. When the cinnamon infusion is complete.
6. Remove the cinnamon stick and reserve.
7. Slowly whisk the liquid into the egg yolks.
8. Return the combination to the saucepan and place over medium heat.
9. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly until it thickens.
10. Strain the mixture into a clean bowl and add the reserved cinnamon stick. Set aside to cool.
11. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
12. Remove the cinnamon stick from the crème pâtisserie and discard.
13. Whisk in the zest, orange-flower water, and almond powder. Set aside.
14. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.
15. Whisk in the sugar. Fold in the egg yolk.
16. Fold in the crème pâtisserie mixture.
17. Generously butter a large oval baking dish.
18. Pour the mixture into the dish.
19. Bake the omelet for 20 minutes or until it has doubled in size and is golden brown on top.
20. Dust the top with granulated sugar and serve immediately.
Note: The omelet can be baked in 4 individual baking dishes instead of one large one.
Yield: 4 servings.
E. Saint-Ange. La Bonne cuisine de Mme. E. Saint-Ange. 1er ed. Paris: Librairie Larousse, 1929. In French.
Mme. Saint-Ange is a little less specific in her general directions than some of the other authors quoted here. She does specify two eggs per person, although she doesn’t give a clue as to what size they should be. She cautions not to over beat the eggs and says to melt the butter without browning it. She uses a stirring motion to cook the eggs. To roll the omelet onto the serving plate, Saint-Ange recommends a method where the pan is tilted near the plate and the handle tapped sharply to cause the omelet to “roll” out of the frying pan. None of her fourteen recipes for savory omelets are unique, as is the case with most of the cookbooks from the XIX ème et XX ème siècles. Like her predecessors, she presents her versions of the time-tested, classic recipes. Saint-Ange provides only one sweet omelet recipe - a recipe for an apple omelet, and that is what Louis now gives you.
INGREDIENTS:
1 small tart apple
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs
pinch fine salt
½ tablespoon milk
granulated sugar, for dusting
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
2. Peel, quarter, and core the apple. Slice each quarter crosswise into 3-mm thick slices.
3. Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat.
4. Add the apples and 1 teaspoon sugar.
5. Cook the apples until they are tender.
6. In the meantime, break the eggs into a bowl.
7. Season the eggs with salt and 1 teaspoon sugar.
8. Add the milk. Beat the eggs with a fork until well mixed.
9. When the apples are cooked, spread them evenly across the frying pan and slowly pour the eggs over the top. If necessary, smooth out the apples and place the frying pan in the oven.
10. Bake until the eggs are set, about 5 minutes.
11. Flip the omelet over onto a heated serving plate. Dust the surface with granulated sugar and serve.
Yield: 2 servings.
Prosper Montagné. Larousse Gastronomique. Translated by Nina Froud, Patience Gray, Maud Murdoch and Barbara Macrae Taylor. Edited by Charlotte Turgeon and Nina Froud. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1961. English translation of 1938 French edition published by Librairie Larousse, Paris.
With over one-hundred recipes for savory omelets and a dozen or so for sweet omelets, Montagné could be crowned the Omelet King! He discusses the basics of omelet making only briefly, but then provides a panoply of recipes, many with historical notes. Many of the preparations have more than one version presented.
This omelette is named for Louis XV's mistress. (Click on "tart," then on "difficulties.")
INGREDIENTS:
Purée Mousse de Chou-Fleur (recette suivante)
125 grams ( 4 1/2 ounces) small cauliflower florets
2 tablespoons butter
4 extra-large eggs
fine salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh chervil, plus a sprig or 2 for decoration
METHOD:
1. Prepare the puréed cauliflower and keep it warm.
2. Preheat oven to 200 °C (400 °F).
3. Blanch the cauliflower florets in salted, boiling water until barely tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well.
4. Heat the butter in medium, nonstick frying pan over medium heat.
5. Fry the cauliflower florets until golden,
6. Place the eggs in a bowl along with the salt, pepper and chervil.
7. Beat the eggs with a fork until barely mixed and pour over the florets. Use the flat side of the fork to stir the eggs until they start to set. Even out the florets, smooth the top, and place the frying pan in the oven. Bake just until the top is set, about 3 minutes.
8. Slide the omelet onto a heated serving plate. Decorate the top with the pureed cauliflower and the chervil sprigs.
Purée Mousse de Chou-Fleur
INGREDIENTS:
137.5 (5 ounces) grams cauliflower, divided into florets
1/2 litre (2 cups + 1 ounce) whole milk
coarse salt, to taste
freshly ground white pepper, to taste
freshly ground nutmeg, to taste
METHOD:
1) Place the cauliflower in a saucepan with the milk. Bring to a simmer. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook the cauliflower until quite tender, 10 to 20 minutes.
2) Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer the cauliflower to a bowl. Using a stick blender fitted with a chopping blade or a small food processor, puree the cauliflower. Add a little of the cooking liquid, if needed. Optionally, if a finer puree is desired, force the original puree through a sieve.
3) If not serving immediately, keep the puree warm over hot water.
4) Before serving, taste for salt.
INGREDIENTS:
Mixed vegetables, see instruction 1
6 to 8 small cauliflower florets, blanched 3 minutes, drained
2 tablespoons butter
4 extra-large eggs
fine salt
freshly ground black pepper
Sauce Béchamel - recette ici
METHOD:
1. Prepare a selection of vegetables in sufficient quantity to make a layer across the bottom of a medium-size frying pan. Some possible vegetables include peas, fava beans, carrots, green beans, turnips, sweet red peppers, and onions. Peas and fava beans should be blanched and peeled. Carrots and turnips should be cut into a fine julienne and blanched. Green beans should be blanched and, if large, cut into slivers. All blanching should be done in separate pots of heavily salted water. After blanching, the vegetables should be chilled in an ice bath and well drained. The peppers and onions should be cut into a fine julienne.
2. Preheat oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
3. Melt butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers, if used, and fry until they start to soften. Add the precooked vegetables and stir to reheat.
4. In the meantime, break the eggs into a bowl. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Beat the eggs with a fork until just mixed.
5. Spread the vegetables evenly across the frying pan and slowly pour the eggs over the top. If necessary, smooth out the vegetables.
6. Arrange the cauliflower florets on the eggs and place the frying pan in the oven.
7. Bake until the eggs are set, about 8 minutes.
8. Prepare the Sauce Béchamel. Set aside and keep warm until the eggs are ready.
9. Slide the omelet onto a heated serving plate.
10. Spoon the sauce around the omelet.
Yield: 2 servings.
These recettes are also posted at The Frog Blog of Louis la Vache
Plus de recettes:
Simple French Cooking: Recipes from Our Mothers' Kitchens
Breakfast (Williams-Sonoma Collection Series)
posted by Louis la Vache | lundi, janvier 09, 2006
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