Most days I feel really lucky. The day I found this omelette pan for $5 at a garage sale was one of those extraordinary lucky days. It was dirty and laying on a dusty table underneath an old wok. It was the oddest-looking pan I'd ever seen. The metal looked sandy and there was no shine to it. But for $5 I decided it could at the very least be good to pound chicken cutlets.
It ended up being the best $5 I've ever spent. The omelet pan was created in 1963 when Julia Child asked The Pot Shop of Boston to design it, and where it is still sold today. My pan dates back to 1963 or 1964 – the only 2 years the pan was made with a dark wood handle. To be 46 years old, this pan has
held up incredibly well and still turns out a "flawless omelet that is perfectly golden with a creamy center*".
*Cooks Illustrated, Jan. 2009, Winner of the Best Omelette Pan
Sausage & Mushroom Omelet with Goat Cheese & Manchego
INGREDIENTS
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2 links Chicken Italian Sausage, sliced into thin rounds
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8 ounces Crimini Mushrooms, sliced
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15 cherry tomatoes, halved
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2 ounces Goat Cheese
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1/2 cup Manchego, grated
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8 eggs
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1/4 cup Half & Half
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2 tablespoons butter
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salt & pepper, to taste
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Aged Balsamic Vinegar, optional
DIRECTIONS
In a skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add mushrooms, sausage and season with salt and pepper. Saute until cooked through and golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk together eggs and half & half.
Preheat the pan over medium heat. When the pan is heated, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Turn the heat down slightly. Pour eggs into the pan. Using a spatula, let the eggs begin to set and slowly lift up the edges and tilt the pan so the egg goes to the bottom of the skillet. Repeat this step until the eggs are almost cooked completely. The top should still be wet. Season with salt and pepper.
Top the eggs with the sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes and cheeses. Place in oven for 5 minutes until top is set.
Remove from oven and top with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar if you so desire. I do.
