Soufflé omelette

This soufflé omelette from Justine Schofield’s childhood is the best recipe for using up leftover chunks of cheese lurking in the fridge to make a luxuriously rich, cheesy omelette for those who love food and hate waste! While simple, don’t forget the crisp, fresh salad on the side drizzled with a red wine vinaigrette – it’s essential to complete the silky, rich omelette to create a flavour-balanced meal.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 50 g butter, plus extra for greasing
• 50 g plain flour
• 400 ml milk
• Salt and black pepper
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 100 g grated cheese (whatever you like)
• 4 eggs

For the salad

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 60 g mixed salad leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C (fan-forced) and generously butter a 24 cm (approx.) oven-proof frying pan or gratin dish.
   
2. To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then add the flour and whisk thoroughly to form a smooth paste (also known as a roux). Whisk in ¼ of the milk, to ensure there are no lumps, followed by the remaining milk. Cook, whisking occasionally, over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes, or until the sauce becomes thick and smooth. Remove from the heat and season with a pinch of pepper and nutmeg. Stir the cheese through the béchamel and season to taste with salt, then allow the béchamel to cool, slightly.
   
3. Crack 1 egg into the béchamel and whisk well to loosen the sauce, then whisk the remaining eggs in a small bowl and while whisking, gradually pour the beaten eggs into the sauce.
   
4. Pour the egg mixture into the prepared pan or dish, then bake for 20-25 minutes, or until puffy and well-browned on top.
   
5. While the omelette is cooking, make the salad. In a large bowl, combine the mustard and vinegar with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. While whisking, gradually pour in the olive oil, until it emulsifies and thickens. Add the lettuce leaves and gently toss to dress.
   
6. Serve the soufflé omelette with the salad.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.