Separate the whites and yolks of the eggs. Beat the yolks till thick and lemon colored and the whites until they stand alone. Fold together carefully, seasoning with salt and pepper, and adding a tablespoonful of cold water for each egg. Have two tablespoonfuls of butter in the frying-pan. When it is hot, pour in the egg mixture and let stand until the egg is set around the edge and a knife plunged into the centre comes out nearly clean. Then set the pan into the oven till the omelet puffs. Score slightly across the middle with a sharp knife, fold, and serve at once on a hot platter.
OMELET AUX FINES HERBES
Prepare Omelet I, and mix a tablespoonful of chopped parsley and chives with the eggs before cooking.
PEA OMELET
Prepare Omelet I. As soon as the eggs are in the frying-pan, add a cupful of cooked and drained peas, arranging carefully in the outermost half so that the other portion will fold over it. Finish as usual.
OMELET WITH ASPARAGUS TIPS
Have ready one cupful of cooked and drained asparagus tips. Prepare according to directions given for Pea Omelet.
MUSHROOM OMELET
Use fresh mushrooms, if possible. Fry, and drain on brown paper. When the eggs are in the frying-pan, spread the mushrooms on the outermost half of the omelet, so that the other portion will fold over it.
Finish as usual.
OMELET WITH TOMATO SAUCE
Spread the outermost half of an omelet with tomato sauce, fold, and finish as usual.
OMELET AU FROMAGE
Prepare Omelet I, adding half a cupful of grated Parmesan cheese, or dried and grated American cheese, to the egg mixture.
HAM OMELET
Have ready one cupful of cooked ham, very finely minced. Spread on half of the omelet and fold the other part over it.
OYSTER OMELET
One cupful of cooked oysters, minced or not, as preferred. Lay on half of the omelet and fold.
CLAM OMELET
See Oyster Omelet.
SHRIMP OMELET
One cupful of cooked and shredded shrimps. See Oyster Omelet.
CRAB OMELET
One cupful of minced cooked crab meat. See Oyster Omelet.
LOBSTER OMELET
One cupful of cooked and shredded lobster. See Oyster Omelet.
TOMATO OMELET
One half cupful of stewed and strained tomatoes, or of fresh tomatoes peeled and rubbed through a sieve. Spread on the outermost half of the omelet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and fold.
DRIED BEEF OMELET
One cupful of dried beef, shredded or minced. Cook five minutes in boiling water, drain in a cloth, spread on the outermost half of the omelet, and fold.
KIDNEY OMELET
Cut the kidneys into inch pieces, fry, drain, and finish as for Mushroom Omelet.
CHICKEN LIVER OMELET
One cupful of cooked chicken livers, cut in small pieces. See Oyster Omelet.
SAUSAGE OMELET
Spread the outer portion of an omelet with cooked sausage meat and fold as usual.
SARDINE OMELET
Rub to a paste with melted butter and lemon-juice enough sardines to make half a cupful. Spread thinly on the outer half of an omelet, and fold.
CHEESE OMELET II
Spread one cupful of grated cheese, Swiss, American, or Parmesan, on the outer portion of an omelet when the eggs are first put in the pan. Cook and fold as usual.