Ina Garten's Gruyere Omelet (my attempt)

 

I was wanting a very simple supper today (as I write this on Tuesday).  I didn't want anything really complicated or involved.  I had had my eyes on a recipe from one of Ina Garten's cookbooks.  The cookbook  is entitled Ina Garten's Go To Dinners.   I have had this book since 2022 and I am ashamed to say that this is the first thing I have cooked from it.

I quite like an omelet for a quick and easy meal and I was greatly intrigued with her method of cooking this omelet. She will be the first one to admit that this method does take a bit of practice to execute, but then it is the same with developing  most skills. The more you do it, the better you get. Practice does make perfect.

Omelets are one of the simplest and easiest things to make. You can complicate them if you want to, but really at its very basic, it is a very simple and easy thing.

I remember going for a screen test for a television program in London a number of years back. For the screen test you were required to cook an omelet live as they filmed you and of course produce a bit of banter while you were doing so.

I really enjoyed this exercise and whilst I did not make it onto the show,  it was still really a great experience.  When I later watched the show I was not surprised to see that (other than the hosts) all of the people who participated were young and very attractive. Agism is real people.  Sad to say.

 

 

This is my omelet standing  next to Ina's omelet. You can see mine is nowhere near as attractive, no matter how delicious it was.  haha  I have a ceramic top hob and it is really difficult to regulate the heat on it.  Its not a steady heat and can fluctuate a great deal.  

I was able to get it to roll, but not perfectly as hers is in the photograph. It is delicious however it looks.  Rich and indulgent with lots of butter and the cheese was lovely. I had a bit extra and sprinkled it on top of the finished omelet.  This was pure and simple.  A lovely dish, however haphazard my results.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE INA GARTEN'S GRUYERE OMELET

Pretty simple ingredients and not a lot of them. Again this recipe and the amount of ingredients are to serve one person. (very generously)

• 3 extra large free range eggs
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 TBS butter
• 1/4 cup (54g) grated Gruyere cheese

 

When it comes to eggs that I am going to eat as eggs, rather than as baking with them, I always like to make sure I am using the freshest eggs possible.  I do use organic free range eggs which I buy in the organic refrigerator section of my grocery store.

  

In the warmer months I get them locally (when available) at a farm which produces free range organic eggs. You can actually see the chickens running around. I like to eat eggs from happy chickens.

Gruyere cheese is a type of Swiss cheese which is produced in Switzerland. It has a sweet almost nutty flavor, depending on the age of the cheese. It has lovely melting properties as well.

The younger the cheese the creaminess and nuttiness is more pronounced.  It is harder as it gets older (which is the same with most cheeses) but the flavors are deeper ad richer.

I used salted butter.

HOW TO MAKE INA GARTEN'S GRUYERE OMELET

I found this to be a bit challenging.  I think it would work much better on a gas hob.  However I did persevere and ended up with a tasty omelet.  I suspect practice will make perfect.

Beat the eggs together with a fork to combine the whites and yolks thoroughly with each other. Have your cheese grated and waiting.

Start with a cold non-stick (9-inch) skillet. Place over medium high heat and add the butter.

Allow the butter to melt and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.

 

Add the eggs all at once to cover the base of the pan. Leave to cook for about half a minute until you can tell they are cooked and set on the bottom.

Using both hands, grab the handle and give the pan a swift jerk forward and then back towards you. The eggs shall fold over themselves on the far side of the pan. Add the cheese down the middle of the uncooked eggs.

 

Repeat again, forcing the eggs to fold over themselves again, as well as the cheese. Repeat this action. every 10 seconds or so, until the eggs are almost but not quite cooked.

Leave to cook without moving for 5 to 10 seconds and then slide out onto a plate. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper and serve immediately while it is still hot.

I did try to find a video of Ina or anyone making this omelet, but came up blank.  I hope that my written description of how to do this is sufficient!

 

While I did find the rolling a bit of a challenge, I did find that the end result was a beautifully cooked and delicious omelet!  I suspect that as time goes by I will get better at the rolling the more often I do it.

I do think that it is a bit of a challenge to do this on a ceramic top hob.  I feel a gas hob would be much more push friendly and the heat would be a lot more steady.  I found my stove kept turning itself down every time I moved the pan.  

However challenging though, this was really tasty. I enjoyed it with some bacon and whole grain toast. It made for a lovely and simple weeknight supper. I highly recommend!

If you are a fan of enjoying the occasional egg for breakfast, lunch or supper, you might also enjoy the following recipes:

OVEN POACHED EGGS -  Do you find poaching eggs a bit of a challenge.  This simple oven method of poaching removes all of the mystery and challenge. You can easily poach as many or as few as you wish to cook and they end up being the perfect shape and size each and every time.  This is now my go-to method of poaching eggs. I will never go back to the old way again.

STEAK AND EGGS - A quintessential combination that is quite delicious! A good steak cooked properly is high on my list of things to enjoy.  Combined with perfectly cooked fried eggs, with crispy almost ruffled edges and you have a marriage made in heaven.  This is just plain good eating. No two ways about it.

Yield: 1

Author: Marie Rayner

Ina Garten's Gruyere Omelet

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 5 MinTotal time: 10 Min

This is more of a technique than a recipe. I think it works better with a gas hob. My ceramic top, whilst it produced a really delicious omelet, was much more difficult to make her way! Make sure all of your ingredients are ready before you begin.

Ingredients

• 3 extra large free range eggs
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 TBS butter
• 1/4 cup (54g) grated Gruyere cheese

Instructions

1. Beat the eggs together with a fork to combine the whites and yolks thoroughly with each other. Have your cheese grated and waiting.
2. Start with a cold non-stick (9-inch) skillet. Place over medium high heat and add the butter.
3. Allow the butter to melt and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the eggs all at once to cover the base of the pan. Leave to cook for about half a minute until you can tell they are cooked and set on the bottom.
5. Using both hands, grab the handle and give the pan a swift jerk forward and then back towards you. The eggs shall fold over themselves on the far side of the pan. Add the cheese down the middle of the uncooked eggs.
6. Repeat again, forcing the eggs to fold over themselves again, as well as the cheese. Repeat this action. every 10 seconds or so, until the eggs are almost but not quite cooked.
7. Leave to cook without moving for 5 to 10 seconds and then slide out onto a plate. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper and serve immediately while it is still hot.

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