Colourful ‘omelette’ showcases spring vegetables
An omelette is the perfect anytime food, whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or a light supper.
But I’m a little intimidated by the folding and flipping of a proper omelette, so I rarely prepare them. Scrambled eggs are more my style, since they hide a multitude of clumsy errors.
After improvising for a while, though, I found a way to make eggs that taste as good as an omelette, is much easier, and showcases the vegetables beautifully instead of hiding them. I’m calling it “Lazy Spring Omelette.”
You don’t need to flip the eggs if you cover them (hence steaming the top layer) or run the pan under your broiler for a minute or two to cook them on top.
Our late spring means there’s not much in the way of local vegetables available yet. I had to use imported asparagus, and the tomatoes were on the pale side.
But it won’t be long before that changes, after a week or two of May’s warm sunshine.
Making a successful dish with different vegetables means treating each one differently. Broccoli needs more cooking than asparagus.
Onions need low heat, mushrooms need higher heat. Sautéeing tomatoes that are a little anemic will intensify their flavour marvellously. And, of course, vary the vegetables according to what you have and what you like.
Lazy Spring Omelette
One small onion, chopped fine 30 ml (two tablespoons) butter or cooking oil
About 375 ml (one and a half cups) fresh broccoli florets One small carrot, cut into chunks
4 to 6 spears asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces
3 to 4 mushrooms, sliced One medium tomato, chopped Four eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
125 ml (half a cup) grated cheese (optional)
Heat butter or oil in a non-stick skillet. Add onion and cook, covered, on medium-low heat.
In a small saucepan, boil salted water. Add broccoli and carrot. A few minutes later, add asparagus. Cook a few minutes until all are tender, then drain and set aside.
When onion is transparent (after cooking about 10 minutes), remove cover from pan and turn up heat to medium. Add the sliced mushrooms and tomato pieces. Sauté until golden brown.
Turn heat down to mediumlow again. Scatter the broccoli, asparagus and carrot in the pan with the other vegetables. Whisk the eggs with about 45 ml (three tablespoons) water and pour into the pan. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and a grinding or two of pepper on top.
After a few minutes, slide a spatula around the edge of the egg mixture and tilt pan to let uncooked egg into the bottom of pan. When egg is solid but the surface is still runny, add the cheese, if you are using it. Cover the pan to finish cooking, or slide pan for a few minutes under a heated broiler to cook the top of the eggs.
Cut into quarters and serve hot or at room temperature.
Makes two servings.