Many claim that the way one cooks an omelette is the way of telling if one's a good cook or not.
I claim that what one puts inside an omelette is the way of telling if one's a good cook or not.
Call me crazy, but I hate a plain omelette. Most French people would have me killed for uttering this phrase but it's the truth! Ever since I was a child I always detested it, or so my mother claims. Eating a single egg constituted a nightmare for me. The poor woman always tried to embellish every egg dish she cooked with different ingredients so that I would eat it.
She'd use the secret power of tomatoes, cheese and French fries incorporated into scrambled eggs in order for me to even sample them. Other times she would use the allure of olive oil, feta cheese and rustic bread as an accompaniment to fried eggs.
Eventually as the years passed she actually had me hooked! I enjoyed the sight and taste of a well cooked omelette, with all the trimmings of course, but it wasn't until I began cooking omelettes myself that I truly discovered what one can do with the help of a plain old chicken egg.
I've tried so many combinations over the years but the following is at the top of my list. The use of a Catalan red wine sausage gives the omelette a deep flavor which undercuts the creaminess of the eggs but does not overpower the overall dish. The thyme with its earthy scent, the mushrooms and the onions complement each other and constitute this gorgeous, simple, flavorful, easy to do recipe that will have anyone tasting it licking their fingers and asking for more.
It's a perfect dish for brunch or lunch but S (my boyfriend) and I prefer having it for a light supper paired with a leafy salad and a whole-wheat baguette.
Omelette with Catalan red wine Sausage, Mushrooms, Onions and Thyme
If you're unable to find a Catalan red wine sausage, which is a pork sausage infused with red wine, you can certainly use any other type of sausage you like as long as it doesn't have an overwhelming taste. For example, chorizo is not a sausage for this dish.
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
4 medium free-range eggs
80 g Catalan red wine sausage, sliced
70 g small chestnut (cremini) mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Preparation
In a small bowl crack the eggs open, add salt, pepper and thyme. Beat lightly with a fork.
Heat a large skillet, preferably non-stick, on medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté in the oil until they begin to soften.
Add the mushrooms and sauté for another minute. Once they're lightly cooked, add the sausage and stir it around until it gets coated with the oil and starts to release its own fat.
Pour the eggs over all the ingredients and shake the skillet so that the eggs spread evenly around the pan.
Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, lifting edges to let uncooked egg run underneath, for about 6-7 minutes or until set on the bottom and almost set but still moist on top.
Slide and fold the omelette onto a plate, sprinkle a little more thyme on top and serve immediately.
