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June 8, 2006
Ziploc Omelets- Are you in this much of a hurry?
(Uh, I didn't make this...)
This is hardly my more typical gourmet-inspired post, but I got an interesting email from Janella recently with a time saving idea for making a lot of omelets. Basically, you put your ingredients into Ziploc bags, then boil them. She hasn't tried this, and neither have I, have you? Would you?
She was surprised by this cooking method, but the fact is an awful lot of restaurants buy their eggs in bags, then boil them instead of scrambling them in more traditional ways. This is why you get scrambled eggs with no color (or flavor, really) so often.
I'll post the text of the email in the extended entry, because it is a real time saver, but I would recommend that if you try this, at least saute your omelet ingredients first, so that you can impart as much flavor as possible. Thanks for the email, Janella! If you hear about something you'd like to share, email me.
I prefer my omelets like this, of course:
(Photo: TPC's Omelet with grilled salmon, pepper jack and chives)
Ziploc Omelets
Have guests write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag with permanent marker.
Crack 2 eggs (large or extra-large) into the bag (not more than 2) shake to combine them.
Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc.
Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shake. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up.
Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes. You can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water.
Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed.
Nice to serve with fresh fruit and coffee cake; everyone gets involved in the process and a great conversation piece.
Posted by The Pragmatic Chef at June 8, 2006 10:19 AM
Filed under:
Time Saving Ideas
Comments
I haven't and no. While I don't enjoy my eggs browned, I do believe cooking them in a fry pan with butter adds flavors that you can't get with boiling or microwaving. And while I consider myself quite lazy, I ain't that lazy.
Besides, I don't want to upset my fry pans by circumventing their usefulness with a baggie. You do know what happens when you make your fry pans mad or hurt their feelings don't you? That's right, you food is most certainly going to end up in the trash. This will no do.
Nope, I say keep the pans happy, keep the flavors IN your food and stay way from the baggie gourmet.
So says I, arrrr.
Biggles
Posted by: Dr. Biggles at June 8, 2006 12:17 PM
Amen, Biggles.
While it's possible to get a lot of flavor into the bag using brown butter, pre cooking your ingredients, etc., cooking them in a pan at higher temperature will get you lighter eggs, at the very least. It might be fun for kids, though.
Posted by: the pragmatic chef™ at June 8, 2006 12:36 PM
This is a good camping trick. But otherwise, not for me. You miss out on all the butter in the pan!
Posted by: Ana at June 8, 2006 12:41 PM
You could add butter, or beurre noisette to the mix, though. It's the texture that gets me about bagged scrambled eggs as much as the taste, though. Really dense, and watery because they split the longer that they cook in the bag and in the steam table.
Posted by: the pragmatic chef™ at June 8, 2006 12:45 PM
But, if you're going to precook all your ingredients and brown your butter to add to the baggie, wouldn't it just be easier to use a damned pan?
The pans I use at home are the pans I use camping. I sacrifice nothing, for no one.
That's right, when I camp I have a tent large enough for me to put my pants on standing up (I'm 6'2"). I bring a twin sized mattress, comforter and my pillow. Why? Because when I wake up, I'm fully refreshed and ready to get cooking.
Biggles
Posted by: Dr. Biggles at June 8, 2006 3:53 PM
Me? Yep, I'd do an omelet bar, but if you ain't picky about flavor and everyone wants their own omelet, I guess this isn't so bad.
Posted by: the pragmatic chef™ at June 8, 2006 3:59 PM
I just have to comment on Biggles bringing the pans from home. Oh brother!
Posted by: Paul Brown at June 8, 2006 8:57 PM
I can just see Biggles out on safari. He's got his huge palacial gentrified tent with linen curtains billowing in the windows and whatnot while his porters and minions sleep on the ground outside his tent.
I'll bet he'd share the chow with them, though. Heck of a guy, our Biggles. And the grub would be good. No doubt there.
Posted by: the pragmatic chef™ at June 9, 2006 7:26 AM
This sounds so gross.
The real way, for me.
Posted by: kel at June 9, 2006 8:58 AM
How many scallions can you fit into that baggie?
You'd better eyeball it. I'd say it calls for about two fingers worth.
Posted by: drjones at June 9, 2006 5:43 PM
Though this may seem "lazy" to some,it is differnt and great fun when camping! No mess, no cleanup!
Posted by: Stacey at June 22, 2006 10:15 AM
I agree, Stacey. Whatever you can do to lighten the load is a good thing, you could probably use the bags that you brought the ingredients in. Thanks for stopping by!
Posted by: the pragmatic chef™ at June 22, 2006 10:19 AM