Caramelized Onion Omelette

There are so many wonderful things to say about this omelette. First, I made it with eggs from the farmer's market. The average eggs you eat in the supermarket are about two weeks old when you first buy them. If you're buying them at a farmer's market, they're about three days old. Not to mention, they're antibiotic-free, free range, and they're from a farm you're somewhat familiar with. A farm where you know the workers because you see them every week at the market, and where you can at least have some confidence that they're not abusing or mistreating their animals. How can you tell that from looking at an egg carton in a supermarket? As a vegetarian, if I'm going to eat any animal product (and I do eat eggs, butter, milk, etc), I want to have some confidence that the animals didn't suffer for me to eat it.

Second, this omelette is sort of a variation on the flavors of this amazing quiche I made several months ago from Simply Recipes. I made it for a dinner party, and every single one of my guests said it was the best quiche they'd ever had. So, not surprisingly, I have been a caramelized onion fanatic, sticking them in everything from appetizer tarts to risotto. And when I was wondering what to use as the filling for my omelette, guess what came to mind?

A few rules for making an omelette. First, add a teaspoon of water (not milk) for every 2-3 eggs. Second, beat the eggs lightly before pouring them into the pan. Third, throw in at least one egg yolk, because otherwise it really has no flavor. Personally, I'm partial to one egg yolk and three egg whites for a good flavor that's still fairly low-cholesterol. Fourth, when you first pour the omelette into the pan, stir the batter with your spatula for about 30 seconds, or until it starts to solidify (this helps it cook evenly). Fifth, don't flip your omelette. You're not making pancakes. Last, and most important, don't overcook. People are so irrationally terrified of undercooked eggs that they tend to brown omelettes. They should be light and golden -- if you're omelette has brown spots, cook it for a minute or two less next time.

Caramelized Onion Omelette

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 small or medium white onions, sliced

1 tsp coarse sea salt

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 egg

2 egg whites

1 tsp water

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small saute pan, saute the onions in olive oil on medium heat until translucent (it's ok if they look slightly charred). Add salt and balsamic vinegar and saute for an additional 5 minutes on low heat.

2. Remove onions from saucepan and set aside.

3. In another bowl, mix one full egg and two egg whites with 1 tsp water. Whisk to break yolks and lightly beat.

4. Grease another pan with 1 tsp olive oil, and pour eggs in. Stir for 30 seconds, or until eggs start to solidify. Let cook for 3 more minutes without stirring.

5. Pour onions into the center of the omelette. Fold 1/3 of the omelette over the onions, and remove the pan from heat. Tilt the pan so that the omelette comes to the edge, and then flip the omelette out onto a plate. Serve.

Serves 1.