Last week, The New York Times food editor Emily Fleischaker kicked-off the #JuliaChildChallenge on Instagram by attempting to recreate the French omelet (or omelette, for French accuracy) just like Child’s (seemingly) simple demonstration on a 1963 episode of The French Chef with Julia. Fleischaker even begins her video the same way, saying, “You’re about to see a French omelet being made.” After a quick shake in the pan (14 seconds from start to finish), the dish is complete. But is it really that easy? The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen knows how to cook eggs, and they’ve got our French omelet method down. Here are our tips to get you started. The key to making a perfect French omelet starts with the proper equipment and temperature. Make sure you use a nonstick skillet with flared sides and melt 2 Tbps. butter over medium-high. When the butter starts to foam, pour in 3 beaten eggs. (You’ll want to beat the eggs with a fork until evenly mixed with no white strands but not foamy.) Shake the pan back and forth with one hand to keep the eggs cooking evenly. While shaking the pan, our Test Kitchen recommends using a fork (a chopstick or bamboo skewer also works to prevent scratching) with the other hand to stir constantly. Once the egg whites are set, gently tilt the pan to roll your omelet onto a plate in true chef fashion. It might take a few times to nail this technique in just 14 seconds, but at least you’ll have a delicious breakfast ready to eat.
