You Gotta Crack Some Eggs

I was invited to a fine meal last night, at my in-laws, for a wonderful dinner, so I postponed my stop at Algeria. Believe me, it will be well worth the wait. So I decided to take this time for a "Captain's Message". Today's Captain Message is that the omelet is perhaps the perfect breakfast food. Seriously...egg goodness filled with whatever your heart desires. How can that NOT be perfect?

I learned to make omelets as a teenager. In fact, this was the first recipe I taught my mother. I discovered the recipe for the simple omelet in a body building magazine. After my parents got over seeing their son pour over mags with muscular, oil covered men on the cover...and taking an interest in the culinary arts, they discovered that eggs and cheddar cheese may be the closest thing to heaven on earth.

The simple omelet is...well...simple. Crack 2 or 3 whole eggs into a bowl. Add a tablespoon of water, salt and pepper to taste and whisk. Heat a skillet on high, and heat whatever you prefer to fry eggs in. I use butter. Pour the eggs batter to fill the bottom of the skillet with a thin layer...kind of like a pancake...just thinner. Tilt the skillet a little to let the raw middle reach the edges for thorough cooking. Once the bottom begins to harden ( you can tell because the edges begin to harden, pour a line down the middle of the middle of the egg pancake. Now, take a flipper or spatula flip opposite edges of the egg so that the edges meet in the middle. Kind of like an egg double door. Let it heat so that the cheese melts; but, not enough to burn the egg, or make it rubbery. Get a plate, and flip the omelet over onto it. There you go...perfection.

Now, the fun stuff starts...learning to make different kinds of omelets. Seriously...the possibilities are limitless. I like to add salsa. Spinach and feta cheese is good. So are sliced jalapenos. Soften some onion beforehand, and that makes a great filler.

Rather than recreate the wheel, here is a link to a site that has 187 omelet recipes:
http://www.mrbreakfast.com/recipe_collection.asp?subcategoryid=1.
There is even a recipe for peanut butter omelets.

I have two very important things to say about making omelets. First...and most importantly...MAKE SURE YOU WHISK AT LEAST A TABLESPOON OF WATER INTO THE EGGS! If you do not, the eggs will be flat, rubbery, and yucky.

Second...do not make an omelet with more than 3 eggs. You can always make 2 or 3 separate omelets. More than 3 eggs is too heavy; and, all you will end up with is a big mess. A delicious mess, but not really an omelet.

So...thus ends the "Captain's Message". Come back tomorrow to read about my kitchen adventures in Algeria.

Now...get crackin' !