Sweet Soufflé Omelet

It’s troubling when the people we love turn out to have a fault that wasn’t exactly anticipated. For example, I served this omelet at a brunch and my dear friend Scott confided that it tasted like eggy bile. Really, I could only feel sympathy for him, not anger, because this omelet is pure ethereal goodness.

This isn’t really an omelet at all in the traditional sense as it is not filled or rolled. Rather, the eggs are separated, the whites whipped to an airy fluff, while the yolks are combined with a touch of flour, milk and sugar. The bottom of the pan has a melted marmalade/butter combination that almost turns to a caramel when it's done baking.

Some nights, when The Chef is working, I cut this recipe in half, bake it in a small cast iron pan and have a very special dinner for one.

For 2-3 servings:

• 4 eggs, separated


• 1/2 cup milk


• 1 tablespoon flour


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 2 tablespoons sugar


• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter


• 1/4 cup orange marmalade


• Powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a mixer, add the egg whites and beat until just stiff. In another bowl, whisk together the yolks, milk, flour, salt and sugar. Fold the whites into the yolk mixture.

Set a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the butter and marmalade, stirring frequently until the mixture is combined and melted. Pour in the egg batter, evenly distributing it in the pan and smoothing the top. Let it cook for a couple minutes, without disturbing it.

Put the skillet in the oven and bake until it is golden and quite puffed, about 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately dusted with a bit of powdered sugar.

Adapted from a recipe in How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman