The French Omelette

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp chives, minced
• Salt
• Nothing else. That's the point.

Method

1. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt until completely uniform — no streaks. A fork is traditional; thirty seconds of honest effort.
2. Melt the butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat until foaming but not browned. Brown butter is delicious and, here, a mistake — a French omelette stays pale.
3. Pour in the eggs and immediately stir briskly with a silicone spatula while shaking the pan — you're making tiny curds, like slow scrambled eggs, 45–60 seconds.
4. When the eggs are mostly set but still glossy on top, stop stirring, smooth the surface, and let it sit 10 seconds. Scatter the chives across the middle.
5. Tilt the pan and roll the omelette onto itself in thirds, then onto the plate seam-side down. It should be smooth, pale gold, and slightly creamy inside — 'baveuse', as the judges say.