Chef Jacques Pépin famously said that he could tell a chef’s level of talent and technique by their ability to make the simple French omelette.
Now, this isn’t exactly the egg pancake folded in half and stuffed with green peppers and ham you might recognize at a diner or an all-you-can-eat buffet. The French omelette has a unique consistency, almost like eating a forkful of cheese or butter, along with a loaf-like shape formed by the creation of large curds in the egg mixture. This is a slightly more decked-out version, leaning on the crispy side rather than the creamy.
All you’ll need are a couple eggs, some parsley, a pinch of gruyere, perhaps some mushrooms, and butter, butter, butter. You don’t even need a spatula to whip this one up–a fork should do. Just make sure you have a quality nonstick pan and the freshest ingredients available.
If you want to see some other attempts, YouTube homecook hero Alex Gabriel (AKA ‘French Guy Cooking’) tries to replicate Pépin’s omelette here.
