Recipes
French Omelet With Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
This riff on a classic ups the richness with a creamy filling and a velvety sauce poured on top.
- Serves
1
- Time
40 minutes
Washington, D.C., chef Jeremiah Langhorne’s riff on a French omelet ups the richness with a luscious filling of goat cheese and caramelized onion, and a velvety gruyère sauce poured on top. You can make the filling and sauce ahead of time; ideally, bring them to room temperature before using. While you should definitely whisk the eggs with a fork, you can also use the fork to stir the eggs while they’re in the skillet—just hold it with the tines facing up, or use a plastic one, to minimize abrasion on nonstick surfaces.
Featured in “How to Make a Mean French Omelet—Straight From the Pros” by Megan Zhang.
Ingredients
For the caramelized onions:
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- ¾ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 1 fresh or dried bay leaf
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the goat cheese filling:
- 4 oz. goat cheese
- 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh herbs such as chives, chervil, parsley, or tarragon
- 1½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the gruyère sauce:
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 oz. finely grated gruyère cheese
For the omelet:
- 1 Tbsp. crème fraîche
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- Finely chopped fresh chives or tarragon leaves, for serving
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Instructions
Step 1
Make the caramelized onions: To an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, add the butter and oil. When the foam subsides, add the onion, thyme, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender, translucent, and deeply golden brown, 8–10 minutes. (If the onions start to stick to the bottom of the skillet, add a splash of water and use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to loosen and scrape up the browned bits.) Discard the thyme and bay leaf and season to taste with black pepper. Transfer to a medium bowl. Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel and return it to the stove.
Step 2
Make the goat cheese filling: To the bowl with the onions, add the goat cheese, heavy cream, herbs, and lemon zest and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Using a whisk or hand mixer, whip until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag if using. Set aside.
Step 3
Make the gruyère sauce: In a small pot over medium-high heat, bring the cream to a simmer, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Stir in the gruyère until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Step 4
Make the omelet: In a medium bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche and eggs until no streaks of egg white or crème fraîche remain. Season with salt and black pepper. To the same nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the butter and swirl to coat. When the foam subsides, add the egg mixture and cook, shaking the skillet frequently with your non-dominant hand and using a silicone whisk or fork (see headnote) with your dominant hand to stir continuously while scraping the perimeter, until the mixture begins to thicken and the bottom of the skillet begins to appear, about 1 minute. Pipe or spoon 3 tablespoons of the goat cheese filling slightly below the midway point of the skillet across the egg mixture, leaving about 1 inch of space at both ends. Working quickly, use a silicone spatula or fork to gently fold the egg toward the edge of the skillet opposite the handle and cover the goat cheese filling. Grip the skillet with your dominant hand, palm facing up, then hold a serving plate in your other hand and rest the lip of the skillet on the edge of the plate. Tilt the skillet toward the plate and let gravity roll and invert the omelet, seam-side down, onto the plate.
Step 5
Pour the gruyère sauce around the omelet, garnish with chives, and serve warm.
- Make the caramelized onions: To an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, add the butter and oil. When the foam subsides, add the onion, thyme, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender, translucent, and deeply golden brown, 8–10 minutes. (If the onions start to stick to the bottom of the skillet, add a splash of water and use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to loosen and scrape up the browned bits.) Discard the thyme and bay leaf and season to taste with black pepper. Transfer to a medium bowl. Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel and return it to the stove.
- Make the goat cheese filling: To the bowl with the onions, add the goat cheese, heavy cream, herbs, and lemon zest and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Using a whisk or hand mixer, whip until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag if using. Set aside.
- Make the gruyère sauce: In a small pot over medium-high heat, bring the cream to a simmer, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Stir in the gruyère until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Make the omelet: In a medium bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche and eggs until no streaks of egg white or crème fraîche remain. Season with salt and black pepper. To the same nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the butter and swirl to coat. When the foam subsides, add the egg mixture and cook, shaking the skillet frequently with your non-dominant hand and using a silicone whisk or fork (see headnote) with your dominant hand to stir continuously while scraping the perimeter, until the mixture begins to thicken and the bottom of the skillet begins to appear, about 1 minute. Pipe or spoon 3 tablespoons of the goat cheese filling slightly below the midway point of the skillet across the egg mixture, leaving about 1 inch of space at both ends. Working quickly, use a silicone spatula or fork to gently fold the egg toward the edge of the skillet opposite the handle and cover the goat cheese filling. Grip the skillet with your dominant hand, palm facing up, then hold a serving plate in your other hand and rest the lip of the skillet on the edge of the plate. Tilt the skillet toward the plate and let gravity roll and invert the omelet, seam-side down, onto the plate.
- Pour the gruyère sauce around the omelet, garnish with chives, and serve warm.
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