Arnold Bennett Style Omelette
March 2021
Invented in 1929 by a chef at the Savoy hotel in London for the novelist Arnold Bennett, this omelette is usually so heavy with cream and cheese you can do nothing but have a lie-down after eating it let alone write a novel. In this simplified version we have used ready-cooked peppered mackerel and spoonfuls of crème fraiche to lighten it and speed things up.
Ingredients - Serves 2
For the basic omelette
3 medium eggs
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
10g butter
¼ teaspoon fine salt and a few twists of freshly-ground black pepper
For the topping
2 x 70g fillet of smoked peppered mackerel
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
25g Parmesan or Grana Padano or Cheddar, finely grated plus 10g for the top
4 tablespoons full-fat crème fraiche
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Preheat the grill to hot.
Make sure you have a warm plate and everything you need to hand as you need to work quickly. Use a fork to beat the eggs in a small bowl with the seasoning until well combined (chopped herbs can be added now, if using). Heat a non-stick frying pan that is suitable to transfer to the grill over a medium heat. Add the oil and butter into the pan and swirl it around as it melts to coat the base of the pan. Turn the heat up to high and when the butter starts to foam, add the eggs.
Use a spatula to move the eggs around for about a minute, criss-crossing the pan to get the runny eggs to the bottom. When the outer edge become opaque run the spatula around the rim of the pan to loosen it. Shake the pan to make sure the omelette can slide.
When the eggs are almost set on the base, remove the pan from the heat. Use your hands to break up the fillets of fish into bite size pieces and scatter these, the chives and the cheese evenly over the omelette. Dollop over the crème fraiche and put the pan under the grill for 2 to 3 minutes or until the eggs are puffy and golden brown. Using oven gloves remove the pan from the grill and slide the omelette onto the warm plate. Serve scattered with the parsley.
Learn more great recipes by joining us on one of our low carb cookery courses. See HERE for a list of upcoming dates.
