And the best part of spring- fresh green seasonal produce! Hurrah! It’s so easy to eat healthy this time of year with all the yummy, fresh, seasonal green things that abound in the spring. And this asparagus, pea, and gruyere spring omelette is the perfect way to get in a big dose of fresh delicious spring veggies for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And it only takes a few minutes to make! YUM.
I have to admit: I’m usually not the biggest omelette fan. I’ve always found them to be a bit dry, and the veggies/filling to not quite blend well together. This is because I’ve always had a scrambled omelette, rather than a rolled one! Rolled omelettes are the way to go. What’s the difference between a scrambled omelette and a rolled omelette, you ask? I didn’t know either until I read up on omelettes the other day in my copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Julia Childs knew her omelettes, that’s for sure. A scrambled omelette is just what it sounds like- you cook eggs and mix the filling into it, like scrambled eggs (but a little more put-together). For a rolled omelette, the eggs are cooked like a big pancake in a skillet, the fillings are added on top, and the eggs are rolled around the filling, like a tortilla. BIG DIFFERENCE between the two. This was absolutely delicious! The outside is somewhat crispy, the inside creamy, and the veggies are perfectly cooked and stand out on their own. This omelette is made in two parts. First, the veggies must be cooked- I steamed the peas (fresh ones from Trader Joes- you can use frozen if you can’t find fresh) and the asparagus together in an expandable steamer basket while I prepped my other ingredients.
Then, the eggs are cooked in a nonstick skillet (this is VERY important- it won’t work in a cast iron or steel skillet, much as I love them) in a generous amount of butter. Heat the skillet and butter first until it’s very hot, then add the eggs. They will begin to cook almost immediately- lift up the edges of the eggs to allow some of the egg from the top to slide underneath until the eggs are almost cooked all the way. When the eggs are mostly cooked and the top is still undercooked, add the cheese, asparagus, and peas on one side of the eggs and, using a spatula or wooden spoon, roll the egg around the fillings and transfer to a plate. Don’t worry- the remaining uncooked egg will cook through from the heat of the rest of the eggs. This ensures that the whole thing won’t be too dry.
Rolling the omelette does take a bit of finesse- one of mine ripped. But, as expected, the ripped one and the intact one tasted exactly the same! So don’t be nervous- try it out. Even if it turns into a “pile” of eggs, asparagus, peas, and cheese instead of a rolled omelette, it’s going to be a very tasty pile. :-) Recipe below!
