Asparagus & Ham Souffleed Omelet w/Goat Cheese

By pattie_d

Give this baked omelet a fluffy, souffle-like texture by separating the eggs and beating the whites until they hold stiff peaks before folding them back into the yolks. Fill the omelet with a savory mixture of blanched asparagus, goat cheese, Serrano ham, and fresh mint.

Ingredients

• 4 asparagus spears
• 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 5 large eggs, separated, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 1/2 tablespoons soft goat cheese
• 2 1/2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint
• 4 paper-thin slices Serrano ham (about 1 ounce)

Details

Servings 4
Cooking time 6mins
Adapted from marthastewart.com

Preparation

Step 1

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Bring a wide medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the asparagus, and cook until bright green and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Plunge asparagus into ice-water bath to stop the cooking; let cool completely. Drain; halve lengthwise, and set aside.

Melt butter in a 12-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Remove skillet from heat; set aside. Whisk together egg yolks, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl until pale and thick; set aside.

Put egg whites and a pinch of salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold whites into yolk mixture. Using a large rubber spatula, spread mixture evenly into reserved skillet. Bake until omelet is almost set but still soft, about 6 minutes.

Sprinkle goat cheese and mint over half the omelet. Top with asparagus and a layer of ham. Fold plain half over filled half. Bake until cheese has melted and omelet is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Cut into 4 wedges, and serve.