Making a souffled omelette is a good way to impress a lunch guest without going to too much effort. It helps if your guest is in the kitchen when you take the omelette out of the oven as, with any soufflé, it will sink fairly quickly, having said that it has a good depth to it even so. This omelette has a light spongy texture which benefits from the addition of a little grated cheese. It is a totally different experience to  a basic fried omelette and worth trying even if you only do it once.

Serves 1 hungry person or 2 for a light lunch/supper

Link to measurement conversion chart

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs, separated to 2 good sized bowls
• Pinch of salt
• A knob of butter or dash of oil
• 100g Gruyère  or cheddar cheese grated

You will also need

• an oven proof omelette pan or skillet that will fit in your oven.

Method

1. pan to the oven for 3 – 4 mins until the omelette is well risen and golden brown
2. Carefully sliPreheat the oven 180c
3. Warm your pan in the oven.
4. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
5. Whisk the egg yolks with the salt until pale then add ¼ of the beaten egg whites.
6. Fold the yolk mixture into the remaining beaten whites until evenly mixed.
7. Carefully remove the pan from the oven, the handle will be hot. Add the oil or butter and swirl it around to evenly coat the pan.
8. Pour the eggy mix into the pan and sprinkle with cheese
9. Return the pan to the oven for 3 – 4 mins until the omelette is well risen and golden brown
10. Carefully slide the omelette onto a warm plate, folding it in half.
11. Serve right away.

Serving suggestions and variations

• Great eaten with a side salad, add bread and butter if hungry
• Don’t over beat the whites as it will make it more challenging to get an even mix with the yolks
• Use half and finely grated the cheese if you want less fat content
• Goes nicely with baked beans and oven chips if you want a more filling meal

Acknowledgements

My first experience of a souffled omelette was at a cookery demonstration at a local department store. At the time I decided it was too much effort to go to as the chef really did make a meal out of making it.  It was only when I was doing the research for these recipes that I stumbled across a simplified version. Having adapted the recipe slightly for our tastes I hope you like the result. Thanks go to the Food and Drink magazine team for giving me the inspiration.

You may also like to try one of the following recipes from our collection;

• For a filling breakfast or light lunch, Eggs Benedict make an alternative to an Omelette
• The Basevi Store Cupboard Carbonara is a great one for a bit of Italian inspiration
• Our Coffee Nut Meringue Gateaux will make a real centrepiece for a special occasion.

Happy eating!