I’ve spent the past year so enamored of jammy-yolked eggs that I almost forgot about the beauty of a classic French omelet.
Omelets make perfect working-from-home lunches because they are incredibly satisfying, and you can make one in less than five minutes. The only tricky thing is getting the technique sort of right (or right enough). But honestly, you’re not making this for company, so if it comes out a little funny-looking, I say you’ve done great as long as it tastes good.
Although cheese is the most typical omelet filling, a few years ago, I started using a garlicky tahini sauce instead. It’s got a cheeselike richness but it’s a lot more interesting (and dairy-free).
First, you need to make the sauce. Grate a tiny garlic clove (or half of large one) into a bowl, and add a tablespoon of lemon juice and pinch of salt. Whisk in 2 tablespoons tahini. When it’s all nice and smooth, loosen the mixture with a little warm water, whisked in a teaspoon at time. It should be pourable but not runny. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if need be.
Then, make the omelet: Crack two or three eggs into a bowl, add a tablespoon of water, and season with salt and pepper. If you want to add chopped herbs or scallion greens, go for it. Mix it all up with a fork until the eggs are a uniform yellow color but not foamy.
Melt a big lump of butter into a skillet. (I use a tablespoon of butter and a nonstick pan.) When the foam subsides, add the eggs. Stir briefly with the flat backside of a fork, to agitate the eggs and keep them from immediately setting. This makes it omelet-fluffy. Cook until mostly set on the bottom, about 45 seconds to 1 minute or so, then drizzle with half the tahini sauce. Fold omelet using a heatproof spatula and carefully transfer to a plate.
Serve with the remaining tahini sauce and more herbs on top if you like. I ate my omelet with a dollop of salted whole-milk Greek yogurt top, too, which felt very extravagant. But it’s not strictly necessary.
This is part of a weekday series in which Melissa Clark teaches you how to cook with pantry staples. (Other recipes in the series: Cold peanut noodles. Crunchy pantry popcorn. Vegetarian skillet chili. Dried beans. Baked oats. Canned tuna pasta. Any-vegetable soup. Pantry crumb cake.)