Chef Jo Barrett’s fresh and healthy twist on the traditional omelette recipe
Prawn & Kimchi Omelette
Jo’s tip: An omelette is such a simple meal, and this is one of my favourite dinner options because it’s so easy to make. It even feels a little gourmet if you’re trying to impress someone. My tip for making this meal as efficient as possible is that you can buy pre-cooked and peeled prawns to speed up the process to getting dinner on your plate. Plus eggs should always be a staple in your fridge.
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 6 minutes
Ingredients (serves 2):
- 3 eggs (per omelette)
- 200g prawns – either fresh prawn meat or precooked and peeled
- 4 tablespoons of Kimchi*
- 3 tablespoons kewpie mayo**
- 1 small bunch of coriander
- 2 handfuls of bean shoots
- 4 tablespoons of crispy shallots
- Water (1 tablespoon per omelette)
- Salt and pepper to season
- Oil
Method:
- Poach prawns by bringing a pot of water to the boil, pop the prawns in and cook for about 1 minute or until they turn white and are cooked through.
- Refresh into cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Peel the shell away from the prawns and remove the vein that runs down the back of the prawn and set aside. ***
- Beat the eggs and water lightly and season with salt.
- Gently heat a non-stick fry pan over a low heat. Add a small amount of oil and pour in the egg mix.
- Using a turner, gently wiggle the eggs to prevent sticking and over colouring then let them set.
- Remove the omelette from the heat and lay it open on a plate. Lay the prawns, bean shoot, some coriander and a few dots of kewpie mayo down the centre of the omelette, fold the edges over each other.
- On top of the omelette sprinkle some kimchi, coriander, a drizzle of kewpie mayo and crispy shallots.
- Season with pepper and serve.
Notes:
* Kimchi, a staple in Korean cuisine, is a famous traditional side dish of salted and fermented vegetables.
** Kewpie is a smoother, creamer Japanese mayonnaise, which is made with rice vinegar rather than distilled vinegar, and egg yolks, not the whole egg.
*** If you’re using precooked and peeled prawns, skip steps 1-3.
Chef Mitch Orr’s modern take on an omelette
Bitter Melon Omelette
Mitch’s tip: I think you need to be adventurous with your meals in your twenties and experiment with different flavours, so that’s why the bitter melon omelette is the perfect starting point. It’s a less refined version of a French omelette so you can be a little rougher when throwing it together and the bitter melon gives it a crunchy texture that meshes well with the egg’s softness. It’s perfect for a beginner.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Ingredients (serves 1):
- 3 eggs
- 150g bitter melon, deseeded and finely sliced
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- Fish sauce, to taste
- Light soy sauce, to taste
- White pepper, to taste
- Coriander, to taste
- Grapeseed oil
Method:
- Lightly whisk the eggs together with a fork or whisk. Season with fish sauce, light soy sauce and white pepper.
- In a non-stick pan, heat a little grapeseed oil over medium heat.
- Sauté the garlic until fragrant, a little colour doesn’t hurt.
- Add the bitter melon and sauté until slightly tender.
- Add the eggs and allow them to set. Move the solids around, allowing the raw egg to continue to cook. Taste a little to check your seasoning.
- Once the eggs are 90% cooked, slide the omelette onto a plate (they’ll continue to cook from the residual heat).
- Garnish with coriander. Great served with a side of rice and a little extra fish sauce.
For more inspiration, visit https://www.australianeggs.org.au/recipes-and-cooking/
