14sept19

14sept19

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

You need to break a few eggs


And even then, it takes a lot of practice.

Omelets are just deceptive.  They look so easy - and yet, it's so tricky.

Tricky, that is, until you've practiced to make this simple kitchen trick an instinctive part of your repertoire.

Here are a few more tips on omelets.

Remember - break your eggs on the edge of your cutting board, not your bowl (you don't want any stray bacteria in your omelet).

Agitate your eggs, using a whisk or a fork, making certain to beat them enough to remove any indication of egg white (you need to break the whites so no strings of white show through in your omelet).

[Special note: C-CAP standards are especially rigorous here.  You need to NOT have any clumps, bumps or strings of white showing in your omelet.]

Have your pan hot.  Really hot.

Don't let your eggs sit still in the pan; you need to keep the eggs and pan moving.

Fortunately, this won't take long (it's a really hot pan, remember?)

Moving the pan and eggs constantly keeps the curds of egg small, and in this case, small means tender.  You want to have a consistent, very tender feel to your omelet, inside and out.

Shift the eggs to one side of the pan, tilt the pan and use your fork to help roll the omelet out of the pan onto a plate (this should help you have a near-perfect roll to your omelet).  The eggs will still be slightly wet.  (Don't forget how Jill and the other practice chefs have shown you how to hold that skillet!)

And why do you not want it brown?  (NO!  Not a teeny bit!)  If your omelet is browning, there are a couple of reasons. 

You're not stirring it enough while it's cooking.  Omelets cook quickly and you must not stop moving those eggs around.

You overcooked it. This omelet does not look entirely dry when it's done; it should have a little glistening sheen to it.

You didn't whip the eggs sufficiently to start with:  browning indicates there's albumin - that's egg white! - that wasn't entirely incorporated in your mixing.

[Note, again:  C-CAP standards ask that this omelet be a nice, golden yellow.  Definitely NOT browned.  Tip - don't brown the omelet. This takes practice!]

This omelet does not have anything but salt and pepper in it - and it needs enough of those to be apparent in the taste.  So season judiciously!

Finally, make sure your plate is completely clean before presenting your omelet for judging.  Don't leave any slicks of butter or oil resting on the plate, and definitely not any stray pieces of egg!


PLEASE CHECK THIS SITE END OF DAY TOMORROW: 
FINAL TIPS FROM JUDGES, FORMER COMPETITORS!)

1 comment:

  1. Students did a great job at the competition yesterday. I wish all good luck in the next round.

    ReplyDelete