July 2nd, 2018
OMELETTE AUX FINES HERBES
In this wonderful summer weather that we are having, the Orpingtons are laying lots of eggs with deepest yellow yolks.
I’ve got flat-leafed parsley, chives, tarragon and chervil growing in the garden in pots, definitely time for an Omelette aux Fines Herbes. Fines Herbes is indispensable in French cuisine but we don’t seem to use it so much here in Blighty, particularly the chervil. Chervil is a bit like parsley but with a hint of aniseed. It seems to enhance the flavour of the other herbs too.
I bought some local Wintertarn unsalted butter from Olivia at the Bampton Teashop today.
Fresh eggs, fresh herbs, fresh butter. Lucky us.
Here’s how.
For a decent sized omelette for one person:
Three fresh eggs, lightly whisked with a little sea salt and ground black pepper added before whisking
a good handful of the four herbs above, flat-leaved parsley, chives, tarragon and chervil, finely chopped, keep a small amount to sprinkle over the omelette before serving.
Whisk the eggs in a bowl
Heat a good knob of butter in an omelette pan. Add a little groundnut oil to stop the butter burning.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan and with a wooden spatula pull the edges inwards until the omelette starts to firm up then leave it alone.
Add the herbs to the centre of the omelette and while the eggs are still quite runny, carefully fold the omelette over in half. Press the omelette gently with the back of the spatula
With the spatula, slide the omelette onto a plate, sprinkle over the remaining fines herbes.
If there are more people than just you, make the omelettes one at a time and tell people not to wait to start, you just have to have yours when the first person has finished!
In 1984 Elizabeth David wrote a wonderful book called ‘An Omelette and a Glass of Wine’, so why not have a glass of something white and chilled, quite the thing to accompany lunch in this weather.