The omelet remains the standby dinner for many accomplished French cooks, and it remains on the menu of many restaurants. Delicious and gorgeous, it’s a bit trickier than a frittata (page 558), but considerably faster, and nonstick pans have made it a lot more reliable. Fresh herbs are a must here; I would say butter is a must also, but I’d rather you made the omelet with olive oil than not at all. Once you learn how to do this, it will become a staple for you, and variations will be second nature. I offer a few to get you started.

　　

Ingredients

makes 2 servings

　　5 eggs

　　2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh herbs, preferably a combination of chervil, tarragon (less than a teaspoon of fresh leaves), chives, and parsley

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　2 tablespoons cream, optional

　　2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter (preferred) or extra virgin olive oil

　　

Step 1

Beat together the eggs, 2 tablespoons herbs, and some salt and pepper in a bowl; add the cream if you’re using it.

　　

Step 2

Put a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and wait a minute. Add the 2 tablespoons butter; when it melts, swirl it around the pan until its foam subsides, then pour in the egg mixture. Cook, undisturbed, for about 30 seconds, then use a rubber spatula to push the edges of the eggs toward the center. As you do this, tip the pan to allow the uncooked eggs in the center to reach the perimeter.

　　

Step 3

Continue this process until the omelet is mostly cooked but still quite runny in the center, a total of about 3 minutes (you can cook until the center firms up if you prefer).

　　

Step 4

There are several ways to proceed. You can try rolling the omelet out of the pan to form a cylinder; this is the most traditional, elegant (and, of course, difficult) method; to do this, hold the pan’s handle at about a 45-degree angle above the plate and begin to roll from the handle end. Or you can fold the omelet in thirds, which is almost as nice, using a large spatula. The easiest thing to do, and it’s not only acceptable but lovely, is to fold the omelet in half and slide it from the pan.

　　

Step 5

Rub the top of the omelet with the remaining teaspoon of butter, garnish with the remaining teaspoon of herbs, and serve.

　　

Tomato Omelet

Step 6

Cut a tomato (or 2 if you prefer) in half through its equator and, over a sink, squeeze and shake to discard seeds. Chop finely and add to the eggs—in a line along the axis on which you will fold or roll—about a minute before finishing the omelet.

　　

Ham or Bacon Omelet

Step 7

Add 1/4 cup finely chopped ham or cooked bacon to the eggs—in a line along the axis on which you will fold or roll—about a minute before finishing the omelet. Reduce the salt in the eggs.

　　

Sorrel Omelet

Step 8

A lovely old delicacy: Omit the other herbs. Before cooking the eggs, melt a tablespoon of butter in a small pan over medium heat and add 1/4 cup chopped sorrel leaves; cook for about 5 minutes, until the sorrel begins to melt. Remove from the heat. Cook the eggs as directed; add the sorrel—in a line along the axis on which you will fold or roll—about a minute before finishing the omelet.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.