Growing Chefs! Ontario Puffed Québécois Style Omelet

Puffed Québécois Style Omelet

Is it an omelet, a souffle, a frittata? Who cares, it’s delicious!
Difficulty
Intermediate
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter2 tablespoons flour1 cup milk1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated1 cup honey ham, diced10 eggs, yolks and whites seperated1 tablespoon grapeseed oil1 tablespoon maple syrup1/4 teaspoon black pepper1/2 teaspoon salt
Equipment
Measuring cupsMeasuring spoonsCutting boardChef knifeGraterBowls of various sizesWhiskDeep frying panWooden spoonElectric or hand mixer8 to 9" cast iron pan

Get Organized!

Gather your mise en place; get together all of the equipment needed for the recipe and gather your ingredients.

Get Prepped!

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Measure out the flour, butter, milk, oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper.

Grate the cheese and dice the ham. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. *Ensure there are no yolks in the whites.

Get Cooking!

Make the roux: Melt the butter in a deep pan over medium heat. When the butter starts to melt, add the flour and whisk until all the butter is melted. Cook, whisking the mixture continuously, for 1 minute.

Slowly add the cold milk, in batches, and whisk to combine with the flour and butter. Bring to a gentle boil and allow to thicken, while whisking, for 3 minutes. Be careful not to scorch the bottom of the pot.

Add the salt and pepper. Add the ham and the cheese and transfer to a large bowl to allow it to cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the egg whites and a pinch of salt. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form (about 5 minutes).

While the whites are whipping, add the yolks to the cooled béchamel. It should be cool enough that the yolks won’t cook.


At this point, place the pan that you will be using in the center of your oven to heat it.

Incorporate the whites: Carefully and delicately fold half of the whipped whites to the yolk/​béchamel mixture, so they do not collapse. Once they are incorporated, repeat with the other half of the egg whites.


Remove the hot pan from the oven and add the oil. Brush the oil evenly up the sides to prevent the omelet from sticking.

Pour the batter into the hot pan and place in the center of your oven for 30 minutes. You can rotate the pan half-way through for even browning.

Remove and serve hot, directly from the skillet, drizzled maple