I·ATE: Anyone keen for an omelette?

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With this sunny and warm weather, who would like to spend hours in the kitchen cooking near the oven? Instead, we propose you a quick and easy recipe, ideal when you come back from work a bit late but still want to eat healthy and balanced: the omelette! If the French omelette usually comes to mind, there are other recipes from all over Europe that we invite you to discover, through our I·ATE Food Term of the Week.

French omeletFrance

You probably have heard about the French omelette, but do you know how it became so famous? According to legend, Napoleon Bonaparte stopped one evening in Bessieres to rest and have dinner. The Emperor was so delighted with the omelette prepared by the innkeeper that he asked the villagers to gather all the eggs in the area and prepare a huge omelette for his regiment.

So the challenge today will be to make an omelet as good as the one Napoleon had! You will need fresh eggs (preferably organic and free-range), 2 knobs of unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon of finely and freshly grated parmesan. First, crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them with a fork. Then, season the eggs with the parmesan and a pinch of salt and pepper. As soon as you add the mixture to the pan, start stirring to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. Then, tilt the pan down away from you and let the omelette fall to the edge. Fold the side nearest to you over by a third with a fork and keep it rolling over so the omelette tips onto a plate. Et voilà!

TortillaSpain

First, let’s remind that the Spanish tortilla has nothing in common with the Mexican variety except its shape and its name. One is just a bread. The other can be an appetizer, a snack, or even a light meal.

You will just need a few ingredients: 3/4 potatoes, 1 onion, 6 eggs and extra virgin olive oil. First, thinly slice the potatoes and the onions while heating some oil in a skillet. After a few minutes, add the potatoes, the onions and a pinch of salt and pepper. Gently turn the potatoes every few minutes until they are tender enough. In the meantime, beat the eggs in a large bowl. Once done, drain the potatoes in a colander and gently mix them with the eggs, before adding the mixture to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and leave it for 5 minutes. Then, insert a rubber spatula all around edges of the tortilla to make sure it will slide from the skillet. The top will still be runny. Then, carefully slide out onto a plate. Add another tablespoon oil to the skillet and use the spatula to coax the tortilla back in. Leave it for 5 minutes before sliding it onto a plate. Qué aproveche! 

Japan

The Japanese tamagoyaki is a “rolled omelette” which is usually served as part of a typical Japanese breakfast or included as a “side dish” in a bento, the iconic Japanese lunch box.

TamagoyakiThe recipe includes 3 tablespoons of dashi – the Japanese stock made of kombu (edible kelp) and katsuobushi (smoked bonito flakes) – 4 eggs and sugar. First, crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them with a fork. Add some dashi soup and sugar, and mix well. Then, heat a tamagoyaki pan on medium heat before oiling it. Then, pour a thin layer of the mixture in the pan. Start to roll when the bottom has set and there is still liquid on top. Pour some more egg mixture to again cover the bottom of the pan, with the roll of egg at the end. After the new layer has set, roll the log back onto the cooked thin egg and roll to the other end of the pan. Repeat adding egg to the pan and rolling back and forth until the egg is used up. Then, remove the pan and cool for 3/4 minutes. 食べてみましょう!

We hope you enjoyed this short culinary tour through Asia and Europe, have a nice weekend!


Written by Laura Campan – Translator, Liaison Interpreter and Communication Manager, currently completing a six-month communication internship at the Terminology Unit of the European Parliament (Luxembourg)

Sources:

  • BBC Good Food (2005), Ultimate French Omelette. Available at: http://bit.ly/2vLkxjV (Accessed 11 August 2017)
  • NYT Cooking, Spanish Torilla. Available at: http://nyti.ms/2uMQ3JP (Accessed 11 August 2017)
  • Just One Cook Book, Tamagoyaki (Japanese Rolled Omelette). Available at: http://bit.ly/2wAmSM5 (Accessed 11 August 2017)
  • The Spruce, Tamagoyaki – Japanese Rolled Omelet Recipe. Available at: http://bit.ly/2uMF4A2 (Accessed 11 August 2017)