Chuck's Omelete 101

Flipped and in the pan

Ready to serve (add garnish)

11/30/16 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Chuck's Omelete 101

Customers at our family business (Kaiser’s Country Diner) would often stick their heads in the kitchen window and ask, “Is Chuck cooking today?” My husband was known as a creative, generous cook who didn’t cut corners. If Chuck was working the line or just in the kitchen you were in for a good meal—especially if it was one of his specialty omelets.

Chuck was not a trained chef in the classical sense. He started out in the food business as a wholesale food and beverage purveyor to hospitals, military bases and restaurants. His territory ranged from Los Angeles to Santa Maria, Calif. He was successful in sales but I was the cook in the family. After going into the restaurant business, he became a great cook under the tutelage of an elderly Japanese chef who was a former customer.

Chuck met Tom Yononaka on a cold call sale to his small café in Ventura. Tom was getting ready to retire from his business about the time that we opened Kaiser’s Country Diner. We desperately needed a good cook and Tom needed something to keep him busy a few hours a day. He stayed with us for ten years.

Tom was a quiet, soft-spoken gentleman with an interesting background. When WWII broke out, his parents and siblings were one of the Japanese families living on the West Coast where they were interned. Tom was about 18 years old when he was recruited to join the U.S. Army. A loyal U.S. citizen who spoke Japanese, he was trained as a sniper to be parachuted behind the lines in Japan. After the war, he returned to Los Angeles where he trained as a chef. His career was exhibition cooking at the famous Clifton’s Cafeteria until he retired and moved to Ventura.

Clean, neat and efficient his cooking skills were breathtaking and he was a stabilizing force for the short order cooks who wanted to be part of our kitchen. He made chefs out of those who were teachable and Chuck was his best pupil. Nothing went out of our kitchen unless it met Tom’s standards. His culinary skills would put today’s television cooks to shame.

Our breakfast business was renown for our omelettes. Thanks to Tom, they were tall, fluffy and tasty. They were never heavy and greasy like so many restaurants serve. Chuck was Tom’s first and best pupil. He says that Tom taught him everything he needed to know except how to flip two omelets at the same time!

Today, my husband still makes the omelettes at our house. They are still light and fluffy and so good that I seldom order one at a restaurant. When I asked him to share his secrets with my readers, he smiled and said, “It’s no secret. It’s a skill.” So here goes. If you’ve always wanted to make an omelet like a professional…read his Omelete 101 directions carefully. You can do it!

Before attempting the omelet, practice flipping. Not eggs but toast! Chuck said that Tom taught him and all of our cooks how to practice flipping toast before they flipped eggs. You’ll understand why as you keep reading. Omelet tossing is a skill that I’ve never perfected but I can do oven omeletes. Thankfully, my husband is a pro. Enjoy!

CHUCK’S OMELETE 101

(Serves 1 or 2 generously)

3 eggs, whipped until fluffy

3 tablespoons milk or cream

A dash of salt and pepper

3 teaspoons butter

Add cream, salt and pepper to whipped eggs. On high, melt butter in a skillet until it sizzles. Pour egg mixture into skillet. As the eggs on the bottom start to set, start lifting the set part slightly with a spatula.

 Let the uncooked portion flow underneath and cook. When the bottom is cooked, take the pan to the kitchen sink, swirl eggs to be sure the omelet is loose. (Professional cooks flip them at the stove. I don’t recommend it for beginners!)

Tilt pan downward, pull back, flip up and catch with pan. Put back on the stove, turn off the heat (the bottom will continue cooking and fill with desired ingredients. As soon as the mixture seems set, fold or roll it over. Garnish as desired. Serve immediately with country fried potatoes, toast or biscuits.

EASY PUFFY OVEN OMELETE

(An old Betty Crocker recipe)

4 eggs

4 tablespoons cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees,

Separate eggs and beat egg whites until stiff with cream of tartar. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored; beat in cream. Fold into beaten whites. Pour into sizzling butter in a heavy, ovenproof skillet. Turn heat to low. Cook slowly until light brown underneath (about 10 min.) and no fingerprint shows when touched. Bubbles will appear and mixture will look moist.

Place in skillet in oven and bake until light brown on top about 10-15 min. Make 1/2-inch deep crease across omelet. Slip turner under, tip skillet to loosen omelet and fold in half. Roll omelet top side down onto hot platter.

Serve with a hot cheese or mushroom sauce or a creamed chicken, ham or asparagus sauce. Serves 2 with a side dish of fruit and rolls.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal! 
Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes
 that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.