Plain Omelet
4 tablespoons hot water 1 tablespoon butter 1½ cups Thin White Sauce Separate yolks from whites. To yolks add salt, pepper, and hot water and beat until thick and lemon-colored. Beat whites until stiff, cutting and folding them into first mixture until they have taken up mixture. Heat omelet pan, and butter sides and bottom. Turn in mixture, spread evenly, place on range where it will cook slowly, occasionally turning the pan that omelet may brown evenly. When well "puffed" and delicately browned underneath, place pan on centre grate of oven to finish cooking the top. The omelet is cooked if it is firm to the touch when pressed by the finger. If it clings to the finger like the beaten white of egg, it needs longer cooking. Fold, and turn on hot platter, and pour around one and one-half cups Thin White Sauce.
Milk is sometimes used in place of hot water, but hot water makes a more tender omelet. A few grains baking powder are used by some cooks to hold up an omelet.
To Fold and Turn an Omelet Hold an omelet pan by handle with the left hand. With a case knife make two one-half inch incisions opposite each other at right angles to handle. Place knife under the part of omelet nearest handle, tip pan to nearly a vertical position; by carefully coaxing the omelet with knife, it will fold and turn without breaking.
Omelet with Meat or Vegetables Mix and cook Plain Omelet. Fold in remnants of finely chopped cooked chicken, veal, or ham. Remnants of fish may be flaked and added to White Sauce; or cooked peas, asparagus, or cauliflower may be added.