We taught an omelet class the other night. It really turned out to be an omelet bar for 40 people. We cooked sausage and chicken cut into dices. Then, we sautéed vegetables: red and green bell peppers, celery, mushrooms, and onion. We set out several kinds of cheeses and a row of sauces: Bruschetta, a chimichurri lime sauce, a Cuban Mojito sauce, a red Mexican sauce, and some Asian sauces like Thai Sweet Chili. The trick is to have all the ingredients cooked and staged in neat bowls and bottles of sauces lined on the counter.
We made several omelets to make sure that everyone understood the method. Then we started taking orders: “Chimi chicken, caramelized onions, and mozzarella.” We made three egg omelets, cut them in two, and let people come to counter and get what they wanted. With two pans going, we kept up with 40 people until they were full.
Most of the omelets were tame, restaurant types. The buzz came from the unusual. Here are some that we liked:
Thai Peanut Omelet:
Bean sprouts, chicken, and peanuts drizzled with Thai Peanut Sauce. Go easy on the fillings or you’ll overload the omelet. Drizzle just a bit of the peanut sauce over the filling before folding.
Chimi and Cheese Omelet:
Chicken, diced onions, and mozzarella drilled with chimi sauce. If you like, you can sauté the chicken and onions and drizzle the combination with chimi sauce just before taking the combo out of the pan. You don’t have to. You can assemble the ingredients on the omelet and drizzle it there. This was a very popular omelet.
Sausage and Onion Omelet:
Slice an onion and caramelize it in butter. Cook link sausages and chop them into bits. Put both on the omelet and cover it with cheddar before folding.
Oriental Veggies and Sweet Chili Omelet:
This is a simple omelet: A mixture of veggies—we used red and green bell peppers, onions, and celery—drizzled with Thai Sweet Chili sauce. This was another favorite omelet.
If you prefer, the meats and veggies can be prepped and cooked the night before. While the unusual omelets are a lot of fun, be sure and have plenty of meats and cheeses for those who are less adventuresome.
