Quick and easy spinach, tomato and Parmesan omelette

Omelette is one of those things that vegetarians get for dinner when people don’t know what to cook for a vegetarian. Flooded in cheese and resembling a big greasy rubbery frisbee – delicious (note heavy sarcasm).

It just doesn’t have to be that way.

A good omelette is fabulous. It’s quick and tasty.

I don’t make them very often and when I do it is usually for breakfast – it kind of feels like a bit of a cop-out to make it for dinner.

The success of a good omelette, I believe, lies in the pan. It has to be a good non stick frying pan or omelette pan.

Another essential is not to over cook the omelette. It will keep cooking when it is on the plate so make sure that you remove it from the heat before it is “ready”.

Anyway I cooked a cracking omelette the other day and thought I would share it with you, I had it for breakfast but I won’t judge you if you want to cook it for dinner – honestly.

Ingredients

3 free range eggs
Approx 100 grams of baby spinach
1/2 medium red onion
1 ripe tomato
Parmesan (Reggiano or Padano)
Olive oil and/or butter
Salt and pepper

Finely dice onion and saute in frying pan with a little olive oil, a little knob of butter and a pinch of salt.

When cooked through and soft add tomato diced.

Crack eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk with a fork. Add a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper.

Roughly chop spinach and add to the frying pan with the onion and tomato, cook until wilted then remove from the pan.

Wipe out frying pan and add a little more butter and olive oil.

Pour egg into pan and stir a little bit.

Sprinkle about a tablespoon of finely grated Parmesan onto the omelette and place the spinach down the middle and then fold over.

Pop onto a plate and eat immediately.

Homemade Mayonnaise

1 egg yolk
Squeeze of lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Ideally use a room temp egg, pop the egg yolk in a large bowl (you can keep and freeze the white for a cheeky meringue at a later date).

Add a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt a couple of turns of the pepper grinder and a teaspoon of Dijon mustard. You can use an electric whisk but I prefer to use a large balloon whisk. Vigorously whisk these ingredients and while you are doing this very very slowly drip the vegetable oil into the bowl as you whisk. I really do mean drip. All of a sudden the mixture will emulsify – you will feel like it will never happen but honestly it will.

After it has emulsified – it will be really quite thick. I know this sounds obvious but it will be thickish for a while and you will be thinking “is this emulsified?” but it probably won’t be. Keep going until it is like a small bit of thick mayonnaise in the bowl. Once this has happened you can add the oil in faster, once the vegetable oil is finished start adding in the olive oil.

Once you are done season to taste.

Now you have a basic mayonnaise. So easy!

Garlic Aioli

So easy!!!!

Sounds really difficult making your own mayo but really it is not – takes about 5 – 10 mins and it is really worth it.

Ingredients:

1 egg yolk
1 tspn dijon mustard
Squeeze of lemon
Salt and pepper (always use sea salt preferably Maldon)
Vegetable oil (about a cup)
Extra Virgin olive oil (about a cup)
1 or 2 garlic cloves (depending on how strong you want it)

Put egg yolk, dijon, lemon in a bowl with a wee bit of salt

Get a balloon whisk and give it a good mix.

Add tiny tiny tiny bits of vegetable oil, whisking all the time.

I think it is best to add a wee tiny bit – stop – whisk a lot – then add a wee tiny bit more – stop whisk etc etc.

The mixture will start to look a bit like single cream and you will think this will never thicken up like mayo.

Keep going, whisk whisk whisk.

All of a sudden it will go thick!!

Once this happens you can add the oil without as much care.

I usually try to do half half with vegetable oil and olive oil but it is up to you.

Once you have added all your oil you have a basic mayonnaise.

Take the garlic clove and finely chop add a pinch of sea salt. Use your knife flat side down and press on top of the garlic to make a paste. Add paste to mayonnaise.

Add as much or as little of the garlic as you wish and season to taste.

Other options for favoured mayos:

Anchovy, caper and parsley (chop finely and add with some more lemon)
Saffron (take a small pinch of saffron and add a splash of boiling water let it steep then whisk into mayo)
Seeded mustard
Tarragon
Roasted garlic (instead of using fresh garlic roast a bulb of garlic, squeeze cooked sweet cloves out and make into paste then add to Mayo)
Chopped fresh mango (use as a dip for king prawns)