A robust fast & easy ‘omelet’ from Elisabeth Ayrton that does not require the dreaded tilt, flip & roll.

Based on homely bacon, onion and potato along of course with the egg, this recipe appears in the nearly but not quite novelty cookbook by Mrs. Ayrton from 1961, Time is of the Essence. In strictest terms the dish is no omelet, in terms of technique a good thing for the less confident cook. Once the eggs begin to set the skillet goes under the broiler; foolproof. For a pair of hungry diners.

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, bacon fat or lard
• a small minced onion
• 2 slices bread cut into smallish cubes
• 2 slices chopped English, Irish or Canadian lean unsmoked bacon
• about ½ lb diced parboiled potatoes
• 6 beaten eggs
• salt and pepper
• minced parsley

Heat the broiler (grill).

1. Melt the butter or an alternative in a heavy skillet over medium high heat.
2. Stir the onion into the pan and cook, stirring diligently, “till golden, but not dark brown.”
3. Remove the onions from the pan with a slotted spoon and replace them with the cubes of bread.
4. Fry the bread, tossing and stirring, until golden; remove them in turn to join the onion.
5. Dump the potato dice into the pan and cook, just to heat them through.
6. Stir the reserved ingredients into the pan and gently combine everything.
7. Pour on the eggs and parsley, stir everything together again, and cook until they ‘omelet just begins to set, usually in a scant two minutes.
8. Check the seasoning and quickly shove the pan under the broiler and blast it until the top begins to color.
9. Turn out the omelet and split it for service: “Do not attempt to fold.”

Notes:

-The crisp bread cubes,” as Mrs. Ayrton confides, “are very good,” so good it Is worth the little effort it takes to make them instead of using boxed croutons.

-Crème fraiche, hot sauce and Worcestershire are excellent twenty first century additions to the plain beaten egg. Diced scallion greens too.

-Mrs. Ayrton likes cheese sauce with her hearty omelet and so, unless you suffer from heart disease, should you. It is simply a base English white sauce laced with cheese. Simply melt a Tablespoon of butter, whisk in a like amount of flour (preferably Wondra; it will not lump) followed by a child’s fistful of grated cheese; whether Parmesan or something British and hard (Cheddar, Cheshire, Lancashire…) followed by a cup or so of milk and a jolt of cayenne. Stir until it is hot and thickened, in the merest of minutes.