Many Ways for Cooking Eggs by Mrs. S.T. Rorer

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OMELETS

A plain French omelet is, perhaps, one of the most difficult of all
things to make; that is, it is the most difficult to have well made in
the ordinary private house. Failures come from beating the eggs until
they are too light, or having the butter too hot, or cooking the
omelet too long before serving.

In large families, where it is necessary to use a dozen eggs, two
omelets will be better than one. A six-egg omelet is quite easily
handled. Do not use milk; it toughens the eggs and gives an unpleasant
flavor to the omelet. An "omelet pan," a shallow frying pan, should be
kept especially for omelets. Each time it is used rub until dry, but
do not wash. Dust it with salt and rub it with brown paper until
perfectly clean.

To make an omelet: First, put a tablespoonful of butter in the middle
of the pan. Let it heat slowly. Break the eggs in a bowl, add a
tablespoonful of water to each egg and give twelve good, vigorous
beats. To each six eggs allow a saltspoonful of pepper, and, if you
like, a tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley. Take the eggs, a
limber knife and the salt to the stove. Draw the pan over the hottest
part of the fire, turn in the eggs, and dust over a half teaspoonful
of salt. Shake the pan so that the omelet moves and folds itself over
each time you draw the pan towards you. Lift the edge of the omelet,
allowing the thin, uncooked portion of the egg to run underneath.
Shake again, until the omelet is "set." Have ready heated a platter,
fold over the omelet and turn it out. Garnish with parsley, and send
to the table.

If one can make a plain French omelet, it may be converted into many,
many kinds.


OMELET WITH ASPARAGUS TIPS

Make a plain omelet from six eggs, have ready a half pint of cream
sauce, and either a can or a bundle of cooked asparagus. Cut off the
tips, preserving the lower portions for another dish. When the omelet
is turned onto the heated platter, put the asparagus tips at the ends,
cover them with cream sauce, pour the rest of the cream sauce in the
platter, not over the omelet.


OMELET WITH GREEN PEAS

Make a six-egg omelet. Have ready one pint of cooked peas, or a can of
peas, seasoned with salt, pepper and butter. Just before folding the
omelet put a tablespoonful of peas in the center, fold, and turn out
on a heated platter. Pour the remaining quantity of peas around the
omelet, and send at once to the table. If you like, you may pour over,
also, a half pint of cream sauce.


HAVANA OMELET

Put two tablespoonfuls of butter and two chopped onions over hot water
until the onion is soft and thoroughly cooked. Peel four tomatoes, cut
them into halves and press out the seeds. Then cut each half into
quarters, add four Spanish peppers cut in strips, a level teaspoonful
of salt and a dash of red pepper. Cook until the tomato is soft. Make
a six-egg omelet. Turn it onto a heated platter, put the tomato
mixture at the ends, and send at once to the table.


OMELET WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Make a plain omelet with six eggs. Pour over a half pint of tomato
sauce, and send to the table.


OMELET WITH OYSTERS

Drain, wash, and drain again twenty-five oysters. Throw them into a
hot saucepan and shake until the gills curl. Rub together two level
tablespoonfuls of flour and two of butter. Drain the oysters, put the
liquor into a half-pint cup, add sufficient milk to fill the cup. Add
this to the butter and flour. When boiling, add the oysters, a level
teaspoonful of salt and a dash of red pepper. Make a six-egg omelet,
turn it onto a heated dish, arrange the oysters around the omelet,
pour over the cream sauce, and send to the table.


OMELET WITH SWEETBREADS

This is a very good way to make sweetbreads do double duty. Boil a
pair of sweetbreads until they are tender. Remove the membrane, cut
them into slices; make a cream sauce. Add the sweetbreads, and, if you
like, a half can of chopped mushrooms. Make a six-egg omelet, arrange
the slices of sweetbread around the omelet and pour over the cream
sauce.


OMELET WITH TOMATOES

Beat six eggs. Add a half pint of rather thick stewed tomatoes, a
level teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper. Beat the eggs
and tomatoes together, and make precisely the same as a plain omelet.
Do not, however, add water, as the tomatoes answer the purpose.


OMELET WITH HAM

Mix a half cup of chopped ham with the eggs after they have been
beaten with the water, and finish the same as a plain omelet.


OMELET WITH CHEESE

Beat six eggs until they are thoroughly mixed. Add a half cupful of
thick cream, four tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, a saltspoonful of
black pepper and a half teaspoonful of salt. Mix and finish the same
as plain omelet.


OMELET WITH FINE HERBS

Beat six eggs until thoroughly mixed. Add a half cupful of cream, a
tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, a saltspoonful of pepper and
a half teaspoonful of salt. Finish the same as a plain omelet. Serve
on a heated platter and put over a little thin Spanish sauce.


SPANISH OMELET

Beat six eggs. Add six tablespoonfuls of water. Add a saltspoonful of
pepper, a tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of
onion juice. Put six thin slices of bacon in the omelet pan. Cook
slowly until all the fat is tried out. Remove the bacon, add a
tablespoonful of chopped onion. Cook until the onion is slightly
brown, turn in the eggs and finish the same as a plain omelet. Turn
onto a heated platter, garnish with red and green peppers, and, if you
like, put two tablespoonfuls of stewed tomatoes at each end of the
omelet.


OMELET JARDINIERE

Chop sufficient chives to make a tablespoonful. Add a tablespoonful of
parsley, a tablespoonful of finely chopped onion, and, if you have it,
a little of the green tops of celery. Mix this with six eggs, add six
tablespoonfuls of water and beat. Make the same as a plain omelet.


OMELET WITH FRESH MUSHROOMS

This is one of the most delicious of all the luncheon dishes. Put two
tablespoonfuls of butter, a pound of mushrooms, sliced, a half cup of
milk and a teaspoonful of salt into a saucepan. Cover and cook slowly
for twenty minutes. Make two six-egg omelets. Turn them, side by side,
on a large heated platter, pour over the fresh mushrooms and serve at
once.


OMELET O'BRIEN

Put two tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan with four
tablespoonfuls of chopped onion. Cook until the onion is tender. Then
add four chopped Spanish peppers, two tablespoonfuls of thick tomato,
or one whole raw tomato cut into bits, four sliced cooked okra, a
teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper. Let these cook twenty minutes.
Make a six-egg plain omelet, using bacon fat instead of butter for the
cooking. Remove the slices of bacon before they are too hard, as they
must be used for a garnish. Turn the omelet onto a heated platter,
pour around it the pepper mixture, garnish with the bacon, and send to
the table. Canned mushrooms may be added, if desired.


OMELET WITH POTATOES

4 eggs
1 cupful of mashed potatoes
2 level tablespoonfuls of butter
1 tablespoonful of chopped parsley
1 level teaspoonful of salt
1 saltspoonful of pepper

Beat the eggs, without separating, until thoroughly mixed; add them
gradually to the mashed potato, beating all the while; add the salt
and pepper. Put the butter into a good-sized saute or omelet pan; when
hot, turn the ingredients into the pan, and smooth it down with a
pallet knife. Let this cook slowly until nicely browned; fold it over
as you would a plain omelet, and turn onto a heated dish. The parsley
may be sprinkled over the top, or added to the mixture.

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