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Alexandre's Omlette au Cèpes



From Chapter Six

The next night again proved sleepless for Capucine. At first light a clamor in the kitchen woke her from a fitful half sleep. She found Alexandre at his massive stove resolutely making omelets, his brow crinkled in concentration. The aroma of cèpes richly colored the kitchen. Alexandre never looked this determined so early in the morning.

"Poor bébé," Alexandre said bleary eyed, "you spent most of the night tossing and turning. And when you did sleep you kept mumbling about an astrolabe and a missing chart."

"I remember that. I was dreaming that I was on Columbus' ship and we had no charts and were sailing around in circles."

"Tch, tch," Alexandre tisked, gently nudging an omelet with a spatula. "This can't go on. It's not just your distress. Any more sleep deprivation and I won't be able to write my name, much less a restaurant review. But fear not. I have the solution! You need a Sancho Panza to point you in the right direction on this case and I, magnanimous as ever, am volunteering."

The natural feminist in Capucine revolted at the thought of yet another male mentor. Why did men eternally think women were complete incompetents? Not replying, Capucine went to the Pasquini coffee machine that had been her Christmas extravagance for Alexandre and applied herself to the concoction of a large cafe au lait. Suddenly, as the steam geysered up through the milk her irritation fell away with the suddenness of a damp bathrobe dropping off her shoulders. Alexandre was right, she was tilting at windmills. How silly she was being about it all. The idea of Alexandre jiggling along behind her on a trotting mule made her want to giggle. Her accumulated tension erupted into an attack of schoolgirl silliness. She picked up a colander, put it on her head, and said, "So be it. Alors, my faithful squire, what are our plans for the day"?

In the hierarchy of the Lord's gastronomic gifts to mankind, cèpes— known by the Italian "porcini" to most Americans—come right behind truffles, but they are a lot more easy and far cheaper to obtain. Alexandre has used them here in a classic, light and fluffy French omelet, delightful enough to dissipate Capucine's frustration with her case.

Ingredients

Eggs, 3 per person

Butter

Olive oil

Cèpes, or any mixture of wild mushrooms

Salt

Pepper

 Method

Very delicately, shave off the soil from the base of the cèpes with a very sharp knife and then brush them gently. Personally, I use the nail brush from the bathroom after it's been rinsed but most gourmet shops will sell you an overpriced little brush for the purpose. If you've found other wild mushrooms, like girolles, there won't be soil at the base but they will still have to be brushed. Whatever you do, don't let any wild mushroom close to water. Unlike domestic white mushrooms, they'll suck up water like blotting paper.

Trickle some olive oil into a skillet and sauté the mushrooms in a skillet over medium heat turning them frequently. When they begin releasing their water sprinkle with a few pinches of salt and add a few twists from the pepper mill. When done—determine this by nibbling on one—put in a bowl and reserve.

Break the eggs in a round-bottomed steel bowl, add a pinch of salt and a few twists of pepper, and beat vigorously with a whisk until the eggs have lightened and increased in volume.

Melt a few pats of butter into a medium-sized skillet and pour in the mushrooms. Medium heat.

As the omelet begins to cook, agitate the top of the eggs with the bottom of a fork to distribute them and keep them liquid. When the bottom of the omelet turns white and begins to form pull back the edge with the fork and tilt the pan in that direction so the uncooked eggs flow onto the pan. Start at two o'clock on the pan, then go to six o'clock, then ten. You may have to repeat this once.

When the omelet is close to done, distribute the mushrooms in a line about two third's away from the right-hand side. With a spatula fold the right hand side of the omelet over the mushrooms, leaving the left-hand third uncovered.

This is the part where you get to look cool. Slowly slide the omelet onto the plate. When the folded part of the omelet is on the plate, flip the remaining third over the top with the edge of the frying pan. Done with élan this gesture will firmly establish your cred as a chef.

Serve immediately.




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