omelette Mère Poulard
The secret recipe for soufflé omelette.If you know about soufflé omelette you may have heard of the famous 100-year-old recipe from la Mère Poulard in le Mont Saint Michel in France, but what’s the secret? In the time before Paul Bocuse there was an official distinction (la Mere) given to talented lady cooks; “The Mothers of France”. Mère Poulard lived in Mont Saint Michel where her husband, Victor Poulard, a baker, ran a restaurant. The soufflé omelette was both an easy and novel method of feeding tourists visiting the famous Abbey between tides without using complicated ingredients. You can still see chefs beating away eggs in copper pots in restaurants across Mont Saint Michel.
NOTES
You will never be able to recreate the true recipe unless you use a special thick steel pan and a fireplace. Results will vary using a pan on the stove.
Cooking time should not exceed 3 minutes and usually the omelette is ready within 2 minutes. This is the plain version but if you want to serve it with a garnish try the classic from the original restaurant. My favourite companion cheese for this recipe is a creamy blue cheese (ideally the French Fourme d’Ambert). If you’re in Australia, a creamy Dutch blue or gorgonzola works too.
The omelette is best made with a maximum of 2 to 3 eggs, but if you intend to make it for more people do not exceed 5 eggs and make sure you use a large pan (28 cm / 11 inch). Use plenty of butter and a large burner on the highest heat possible to emulate the effect of a fireplace.
INGREDIENTS
For one person:
2 top quality large eggs or 3 small ones
25 g (0.9 oz) salted butter
The omelette can be served with a garnish of:
Seasonal vegetables
Bacon and sauté potatoes
Sauté scallops in salted butter
Smoked salmon and potatoes
INSTRUCTIONS
Break 2 eggs into a large bowl (preferably copper) and break up the yolks.
Using an electric mixer at a high speed whisk the eggs, swishing the mixer around the bowl whilst it whisks to allow as much air as possible to incorporate the beaten eggs.
Continue whisking for 2 minutes or more until distinct traces are discernable behind the whisk. The mixture will have reached the desired consistency when it becomes very foamy. Cook immediately before the bubbles start to disappear.
Use a thick aluminium, copper or steel frying pan for frying. First, melt the butter over high heat and then pour the mixture into the pan and cook for a minute to achieve a light colouring on the base of the omelette. Then swirl the pan over the flame to cook the edges of the omelette.
Now and again, take the pan off the heat to ensure that the omelette does not burn. After a minute of swirling the omelette, it should be cooked. Take the pan off the heat and allow to rest for 20 seconds. It’s normal that the top of the omelette won't be totally cooked through as it is typically served a little foamy
Slide the omelette onto a plate and fold one half on top of the other.