The Basic Omelet

With this basic omelet recipe, the sky is the limit! You can vary the ingredients and use your creative skills to please everyone - especially yourself!

Ingredients:
Two to three large eggs
2 tablespoons cold water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus (optional)
1-teaspoon unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley, tarragon, chives, lemon thyme and/or savory (optional)
Four to five tablespoons warm or room-temperature filling (optional)

Directions:
Combine the eggs, water, salt to taste and a grinding of pepper with a fork just until blended. Heat a medium nonstick skillet with low, sloping sides over medium heat for two minutes. Add the 1-tablespoon butter (it should sizzle), and swirl to coat the pan. When the butter stops sizzling, pour the egg mixture into the center of the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook until the bottom is set, about ten seconds. Using a heat-safe, flat-edged rubber spatula or wooden spoon, pull the set eggs at the edges of the pan toward the center, allowing the eggs that are not yet set to run from the center to the sides. Adjust the heat if necessary so the bottom does not brown. Continue cooking until the eggs are soft-set (just a think layer of moist egg, not yet set, should be visible on top of the omelet), adjusting the heat if necessary.

Total cooking time should be less than two minutes.

If adding herbs and/or filling, do so now; slide the pan off the heat and sprinkle the herbs evenly over the surface of the omelet. Alternatively, spoon the filling over the third of the omelet surface closest to the handle over the center third. Then, holding the pan by the handle, tilt it so that the omelet rolls out of the pan and onto a plate seam side down. Serve at once, with the 1-teaspoon butter, if desired.