There are two food items that I love but am particularly fussy about: eggs and pasta. My requirements are that eggs must be soft-cooked or soft-boiled and that pasta must be served al dente. I rarely order an omelet or scrambled eggs when dining out because 9 times out of 10 they are overcooked and lumpy with a spongy, cardboard-like texture. If I do order eggs, they’re always over-easy (with hash browns, bacon and buttered toast).
I constantly read cookbooks, cooking magazines and food blogs and watch food shows like, I’ll Have What Phil’s Having, Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations and Layover to name a few. During 2015, it seemed that Ludo Lefebvre’s Petit Trois Omelet was featured in every food-based media. I became quite tired of hearing and reading about Mr. Lefebvre’s omelet, but had to try it. Honestly, it deserves every bit of attention it has received. This omelet is special.
Mr. Lefebvre’s omelet meets my egg requirements. The omelet is basically neatly rolled soft-scrambled eggs, featuring a creamy center and accentuated with warm gournay cheese. Every bite melts in your mouth.
There are a few “musts” when making this omelet:
- Whisk the eggs until well-combined.
- Use a non-stick pan.
- Heat the pan on low heat.
- Constantly stir the eggs and spread them evenly throughout the pan.
- Be patient.
Petit Trois Omelet (adapted from Ludo Lefebvre’s recipe, as presented in Bon Appetit, April 2015.) Keep in mind that omelets are not reserved for just breakfast and brunch. Consider this as a meal for lunch or dinner, as Europeans do!
I’m sure this omelet would be even more decadent and amazing with the 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter called for in Mr. Lefebvre’s original recipe, but trust me that it is still delicious with only 1 tablespoon. Decide what works for you.
Serves 1; Prep time – less than 5 minutes; Cook time – 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
- Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
- 3 to 4 tablespoons gournay cheese, such as Alouette or Boursin brand (you could also use cream cheese)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Preparation:
- Whisk eggs in a medium bowl until very smooth and well-combined (there should be no strands of egg white remaining). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat butter in an 8″ nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Once the butter melts (don’t let it sizzle), add eggs. Using a rubber spatula, stir eggs quickly and constantly in a figure-eight pattern. Scrape down the sides of the skillet as you go to avoid dry bits in your omelet.
- As soon as eggs begin to coagulate (about 2 minutes) shake skillet to settle any uncooked egg. Keep stirring and moving pan in a circular motion until eggs are nearly cooked through on the bottom but still runny on top (or baveuse, as the French say), about 1 minute. Lift an edge of the omelet to check that it is holding together; the underside of the omelet should have taken on no color. Remove pan from heat.
- Spoon dollops of cheese across the center of the omelet.
- Starting at the edge closest to you, use a spatula to roll up omelet in 1½” intervals.
- Turn out onto a plate, seam side down. Sprinkle with salt and chives and enjoy!
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