Stuffed Omelettes and Homefries

[SobaAddict70]

The first time I had a stuffed omelette was in a diner in Staten Island when I was in my early teens. We used to live in Bayonne, New Jersey prior to moving out into the NJ 'burbs when I was 14. Anyway, Saturday mornings, my stepdad used to drive us out to have breakfast at a diner near the Staten Island Mall. Can't remember the name of the diner.

I do remember however the omelette -- it was a Spanish omelette, redolent with peppers and tomatoes in a savory tomato sauce, with homefries and sausage. It was the first time I had ever conceived of an omelette served as something else other than plain. And lo, I was amazed.

Since then, stuffed omelettes have been part of my breakfast/brunch repertoire. My favorite is when I can offer a selection of stuffings, especially if I'm cooking for my roommate or if I have guests over.

Some favorites:

1. Spanish chorizo, avocado, roasted peppers, from scratch tomato sauce;

2. Flaked tuna (from a tuna fillet, not from a can!), sauteed with caramelized onions, capers, lemon zest and chopped Italian parsley;

3. Sauteed wild mushrooms in unsalted butter, along with minced shallots, white wine and sage;

4. Cheese: glorious, glorious grated cheese -- usually a mix of Cheddar, queso blanco and pepperjack or some other selection depending on what's in my fridge. And maybe a smidge of tomato jam.

While we're on the subject of homefries -- a tub of oniony, peppery homefries is a thing of beauty. But why stop with potatoes and onions? For instance, I really dig sweet potato homefries, shot through with minced pickled jalapenos or poblano peppers.

Share your omelette stories and regale us with your recipes for homefries.

I know what I want for breakfast this weekend.

Soba

[Jinmyo]

I haven't done a stuffed omelette in many years. I prefer French style omelettes. Instead I do fritattas.

By homefries do you mean fried mashed potatoes? With onion and such? In which case I add cabbage or kale and slivered poblanos.

I like to do smashed potatoes: Boiled fingerlings or baby white and red potatoes, pressed against the cutting board so that they smoosh up a bit, fried for a long time in a lipid of choice. I'll often put in large pieces of elephant garlic along with this that caramelize and become sticky.

Crunchy fleur de sel and cracked black pepper.

[SobaAddict70]

Not fried mashed potatoes, Jin. I mean homefries.

One way to do it is to parboil diced peeled or unpeeled potatoes, then fry them in LOTS o'butter along with chopped or minced onions and peppers. I like them alternately fried till crisp and brown, or tender and falling apart, with lots of delicious grease mixed in. Bacon drippings are also great for making homefries.

Soba

[stovetop]

Jinmyo said:

"By homefries do you mean fried mashed potatoes? With onion and such? In which case I add cabbage or kale and slivered poblanos."

Home fries can mean different things to different people, a lot of restaurants (van area) deep-fry their potatoes and to me a home fry is like a re-fried potato, left over bakers, fried up with onion and such not deep fried. My good-ness its breakfast, there is enough fat already.

stovetop

[lala]

Gruyere, dotted over a heap of sauteed mushrooms done up in butter and thyme...mmmm...

I'll be happy to see others' home fries recipes...mine suck... educate me, you good people!

[suzilightning]

growing up in the early 1960s we used to go to riverhead(county seat of suffolk county ny) about every other week to pick up forms at the stationery store and go to some stores - REMEMBER this is before internet access and on the east end of long island this was the biggest town we could get to, the nearest place with a mcdonalds until southampton got a burger king in the 80's.

there was this diner/drugstore/candy sore over near the train station we always went to and had denver(western) omlet sandwiches. it was our favorite thing and i hadn't thought about them till now. always well cooked eggs(nothing runny) with red and green peppers, onions and ham. no cheese, though. on toasted bread with miracle whip and ketchup.

i want one now...but will be strong......

[GG Mora]

Sometimes a simple omelette with cream cheese is transcendent. But I'll stuff any reasonable leftover into an omelette. My husband's even more daring than I – his latest abomination had something to do with leftover Spicy Eggplant in Garlic Sauce.

My current favorite pre-meditated stuffed omelette uses painfully sharp Vermont cheddar with roasted Poblano peppers. The peppers I've gotten lately are delightfully hot, which I don't quite understand but wouldn't dare complain about. In fact, when I want a pepper with some zing, I choose the poblanos over the anemic "jalapenos" commonly available.

This is only vaguely related in the most tangential way, but I calculated this evening that my modest family of four went through 6 pounds of cheddar cheese in the last month. That might begin to explain why my jeans are so tight. Good thing cycling season's coming up fast.

Blah blah blah. Put a little vodka in her and you'll never shut her up.

[ludja]

2. Flaked tuna (from a tuna fillet, not from a can!), sauteed with caramelized onions, capers, lemon zest and chopped Italian parsley;

Hmmm, the tuna combination sounds very interesting...

some other favorites:

sauteed mushrooms and shallots with gruyere cheese and tarragon

raclette or other very pungent cheese with sauteed onions and thyme

smoked ham and shaved parmesean

roasted New Mexico green chiles and bacon

I like homefries a lot and to me they mean starting with potatoes boiled the night before and chilled. Then slice by hand into pieces ~ 1/4 inch thick or so. (thick enough to hold up a bit, thin enough to get nice and crispy) Sautee onions and remove from pan; add more butter and cook potatoes; avoiding the temptatation to move them around too often. Need nice brown crusts on the taters. Add onions back in.

I also like making a version of hash browns that are actually made from a recipe for straw potatoes in Patricia Wells, "Bistro Cooking". Advantage here is you don't have to think ahead and boil potatoes beforehand. Also these come out incredibly crunchy all over. Downside is they are hard to make for a crowd. Just grate up some raw russets, rinse in a few changes of water, roll up in dishtowels to thoroughly dry them. Heat butter up in pan and press medium-thin layer of potatoes in. Season with s&p. Cover with lid and cook for 15-20 min. Potatoes should be nice and crusty and brown on the bottom. Invert by turning onto plate, melt more butter in pan, heat up and slide potatoes back in. Cook uncovered ~ 10 min until other side is brown. Perfect crispy potatoes....

(I'm not a big fan of quartered boiled potatoes just warmed up in butter/oil with no crispiness (ie. often the case in restaurants) in place of home fries or hash browns. Sometimes they are called that though... ). Some places I've spoken with said they don't make 'true' hash browns or homefries because they are more labor intensive/time consuming to make compared a big tub of warmed up, oiled, boiled potatoes.

[SobaAddict70]

Do you like potatoes lyonnaise?

The cafeteria we had at my high school (class of 1988, New Providence High School, New Providence, NJ) made a REALLY good version of potatoes lyonnaise that almost seems like a gussied up version of home fries. These were sliced potatoes, fried in butter with lots of thinly sliced onions. Not sure whether they were par-boiled or prepared in some other fashion. They had that nice balance of crispness and tenderness that ludja talks about. This was sometimes a lunch special/veggie side.

Now THAT was a real cafeteria.

Soba

[Dana]

my homefries:

Peel potatoes and cut into bite sized pieces. I usually quarter them, then slice into 1/4 inch pieces. Heat oil in large skillet. Add potatoes, s&p, and cook, covered,over med-low heat till about half done, about 10 min. Dice onion, and sprinkle on top. Leave cover off and continue to fry till potatoes are brown and crispy, about 7-10 more minutes. (if you put the onions in at the beginning they burn). Serve promptly.

Variation: when adding the onion, add some diced venison smoked sausage. This is lovingly known at my house as:

Potato Sausage

Don't we have a way with words?

[Samhill]

my homefries:

Peel potatoes and cut into bite sized pieces. I usually quarter them, then slice into 1/4 inch pieces. Heat oil in large skillet. Add potatoes, s&p, and cook, covered,over med-low heat till about half done, about 10 min. Dice onion, and sprinkle on top. Leave cover off and continue to fry till potatoes are brown and crispy, about 7-10 more minutes. (if you put the onions in at the beginning they burn). Serve promptly.

Variation: when adding the onion, add some diced venison smoked sausage. This is lovingly known at my house as:

Potato Sausage

Don't we have a way with words?

YES!!!

I like to extend your timeframe, though, usually takes me an hour, I like the crust, and I rinse the potatos off first, too.

[beetee]

I did not know there was such a thing as a plain omelette till I read the eCGI class concerning omelettes a few weeks ago :D I do however thoroughly enjoy an omelette full of cheese, scallions, and topped with a tomato salsa. I'd also like to point out that the great thing about an omelette is that you can prepare it in about the same amount of time it takes to throw some cereal in a bowl (ok maybe a tad longer).

[Katherine]

I once read that home fries are cooked raw, and hashbrowns are recooked from leftover boiled potatoes. Linguistically this makes sense (think "hash"), but in this case it seems to have completely fallen out of usage.

I never preboil for home fries. It takes more time, when you take into account the preboiling operation, and it takes almost as long to brown them anyway. Plus, there are varieties of potatoes that get hard when you chill them and then don't resoften on warming, so the whole dish tastes like a bad leftover.

I peel potatoes (except for red ones) and cut them into pieces, from 3/8" to 1-1/4" dice, depending on my mood. I then place them in a nonstick pan with the fat of choice (butter, oil, leftover pork, beef, or chicken fat), and brown on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. The potatoes are already done at this point if they are cut very small. Otherwise I lower the heat to medium, cover the pan, and cook until tender. Season with Korean crushed red pepper, freshly ground black pepper, and salt. Blot excess grease from the pan before serving.

Good paprika gives them an attractive blush.

In a separate pan you may saute half as many onions in fat until they become translucent, then cover and cook until quite soft. Season and serve on top of the potatoes. Or smother the onions with cheese and heat very gently until melted, then slide the whole mess on the plated potatoes and serve.

Also add bacon, for the perfect meal.

For hashbrowns, I grate raw potatoes on the shredding disk of the food processor, salt, and leave 5 minutes to soften. Then press/squeeze out all the liquid you can, sprinkle with potato starch, distribute in a well-oiled or greased nonstick skillet, and press hard. (You may use a can with the top and bottom cut out to make the potatoes take an attractive shape.) Cook until well-browned, then slide out onto a plate or pan lid. Add more fat if the pan is dry, then invert the pan over your plate or lid. Flip the whole thing, and continue cooking until brown on both sides.

Also good with bacon, onions, and cheese.

[Katherine]

I did not know there was such a thing as a plain omelette till I read the eCGI class concerning omelettes a few weeks ago :D I do however thoroughly enjoy an omelette full of cheese, scallions, and topped with a tomato salsa. I'd also like to point out that the great thing about an omelette is that you can prepare it in about the same amount of time it takes to throw some cereal in a bowl (ok maybe a tad longer).

By comparing my experiences with those of coworkers, I know that I can prepare a complete breakfast (juice, tea, eggs, meat, potatoes, toast) in the time that it takes them to make coffee and pour cold cereal. I think it's a matter of priorities and practice. It's more of a challenge, but if you are convinced it's hard to do anything at all in the morning, you're going to be still ricocheting groggily off walls while I'm sitting in front of what I call a "blue plate special" at my home.

[tastykimmie]

I slice my potatoes (no pre-boiling) and fry for about 10 min in bacon fat before slicing and adding lots and lots of onions. I finish it all off with cayenne pepper, salt, parsley and garlic powder. Sometimes I sprinkle REAL bacon pieces over it all.

Heaven!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ludja]

Do you like potatoes lyonnaise?

The cafeteria we had at my high school (class of 1988, New Providence High School, New Providence, NJ) made a REALLY good version of potatoes lyonnaise that almost seems like a gussied up version of home fries.  These were sliced potatoes, fried in butter with lots of thinly sliced onions.  Not sure whether they were par-boiled or prepared in some other fashion.  They had that nice balance of crispness and tenderness that ludja talks about.  This was sometimes a lunch special/veggie side.

Now THAT was a real cafeteria. 

Soba

I do like potatoes lyonnaise---I looked up some recipes and at least Elizabeth David's version is the same as what I've learned to make as humble "home fries" and as described above with par-boiled potatoes.

potatoes lyonnaise

I also love having these with non-breakfast meals.... very big as a sidedish in home-style Austrian cooking, and interestingly (to me) have also been served these with home-style dishes in New Mexico.

Although certainly not low-cal, they go very well as a starch with saucey homey dishes like New Mexican carne adovado (slow-cooked pork in red-chile sauce) or Austrian Boiled Beef in Homemade Tomato Sauce. I'm not sure what Potatoes Lyonnaise are typically served with in French food.... seems like it would also be with more rustic dishes.

I like your description of achieving "that nice balance of crispness and tenderness". Along with a nice buttery flavor, salt and pepper that's the ticket for me.

As bad or worse than restaurant breakfast potatoes that are not crispy is when they are undercooked!!! ugh.

[Jinmyo]

I once read that home fries are cooked raw, and hashbrowns are recooked from leftover boiled potatoes. Linguistically this makes sense (think "hash"), but in this case it seems to have completely fallen out of usage.

Hm. I thought pre-cooked (basically, leftover instead of made for the purpose) potatoes were hashbrowns as well.

[ludja]

I once read that home fries are cooked raw, and hashbrowns are recooked from leftover boiled potatoes. Linguistically this makes sense (think "hash"), but in this case it seems to have completely fallen out of usage.

Hm. I thought pre-cooked (basically, leftover instead of made for the purpose) potatoes were hashbrowns as well.

me too....(i.e. pre-cooked potatoes in both cases) For me the difference between the two is basically how the potatoes are cut:

thin-medium thin slices for home fries and definately onions with (basically potatoes lyonnaise as sobaaddict pointed out above)

small cubes or shredded potatoes for hashbrowns (basic ones have no onions--although you can make hashbrowns with other things added like onions, pepers, mushrooms, etc)

I think some of the differences in definitions may be regional (my experience based in New England). Also I think there could be generational differences--as mentioned above what is sometimes now called "hash browns" or "home fries" in restaurants/diners nowadays does not seem to match with 20 years ago.

That having been said--I think you can get "there" by different routes. The straw potoatoes described above start out with raw taters and end up coming out like crispy hash browns. Also Jacque Pepin's potatoes lyonnaise start with raw potatoes-- would be interesting to compare those two recipes (David's and Pepin's potatoe lyonnase).

Edited March 17, 2004 by ludja (log)

[slkinsey]

What is a "stuffed omelette?" Is it basically a French omelette with way too much filling, or is there more to it? Is the technique different?

[SobaAddict70]

A stuffed omelette is basically an omelette with filling.

My personal preference is to put in slightly more filling than necessary, and to serve the omelette without a hint of what's inside.

It's a challenge sometimes to make the omelette so as not to let the contents leak through.

Soba

[Katherine]

I once read that home fries are cooked raw, and hashbrowns are recooked from leftover boiled potatoes. Linguistically this makes sense (think "hash"), but in this case it seems to have completely fallen out of usage.

Hm. I thought pre-cooked (basically, leftover instead of made for the purpose) potatoes were hashbrowns as well.

I thought that was what I was saying, at least it was what I intended to convey, since the word "hash" itself refers to leftovers that are chopped or smashed up and fried together.

Homefries would have been pan-fried from raw potatoes, and hashbrowns from precooked.

But this definition is probably before any of our times, and now "hash brown" and "home fry" are used interchangeably at many restaurants (in my area) to refer to the potato cubes found on breakfast plates (hopefully hot, hopefully brown, hopefully seasoned, but often none of the above), while the shredded type of potato - patty or loose shreds - is only ever called "hash browns".

At my house we do occasionally have leftover mashed potatoes, which we fry in a pan for breakfast, stirring a few times to get plenty of brown crust. These we call "refried mashed potatoes".

[Katherine]

What is a "stuffed omelette?" Is it basically a French omelette with way too much filling, or is there more to it? Is the technique different?

Yes, a "stuffed omelet" is a "filled omelet" in which someone has put more filling than you would like.

[slkinsey]

A stuffed omelette is basically an omelette with filling.

Ah... but French omelettes can be filled too, right? I'm just wondering where you think the line is between a stuffed omelette and a French omelette.

Mostly, though, I just wondered whether or not there was a substantial difference in technique. Isn't there a kind of omelette that's done by cooking the eggs alone, opening up the cooked omelette and putting in a filling?

What is a "stuffed omelette?"  Is it basically a French omelette with way too much filling, or is there more to it?  Is the technique different?

Yes, a "stuffed omelet" is a "filled omelet" in which someone has put more filling than you would like.

Interesting... I could swear I didn't say anything about how much filling I would like.

[SobaAddict70]

Mmm, probably not that much of a difference.

When I make these, this is filling's usually made. Basically, just oil a pan with butter, pour in eggs (I prefer 3 beaten eggs and 2 t. cold water, salt and pepper to taste; lately, I've been making them with a ratio of 5 egg whites to 1 whole egg); cook eggs till partially set; spoon in as much filling as you like; fold top over bottom half and cook for about 20 to 30 seconds more; slide out and serve.

Soba

[Toliver]

"Hashbrowns", in many restaurants, usually refers to shredded potatoes. Of course, this could be a regional thing. Here in Southern California, in 99% of all restaurants, hashbrowns=shredded potatoes. The shredded potatoes can be from either raw potatoes or pre-baked potatoes. There is a notable difference between the two.

Sometimes you will find "Hashbrowns" in the frozen section of the grocery store that aren't shredded but are uniformly diced potatoes. Then there is "Potatoes O'Brien" (spelling varies) which is uniformly diced potatoes with diced onions and diced green bell pepper.

"Homefries" usually refers to cut-up potatoes. They're not uniformly cut-up so they look like they're homemade, hence the name.

Homefries at home came about as a way to use up any leftover baked potatoes. In all the years my mom made "home fries", she never intentionally baked a potato just to make home fries out of them. She'd bake potatoes for a big family dinner and whatever potatoes didn't get eaten would be homefries the next morning.

They need to sit in the fridge overnight so their flesh coalesces/solidifies which makes them easier to slice and fry. If they didn't go through the refrigeration process, you'd get dry crumbly potatoes when you went to try and slice them.

Some like to peel their potatoes before making home fries, but I prefer them unpeeled. It's more "homey" that way.

On rare occasions, my mom would make potato pancakes for breakfast made from leftover mashed potatoes.

edited to add: Omlettes in our household were never "empty"...they always had some sort of filling. Diced Ham & cheese filling when we were younger, more adventurous jalepeños & chorizo when we got older.

An unfilled omlette is like getting an empty gift box on your birthday.

Edited March 17, 2004 by Toliver (log)