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A passion In the amount of time it takes to open a can of soup, toast a piece of bread or make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you can cook up a delicious omelet that rivals any quick meal. Need convincing?
for omelets
The omelet evangelist travels
How to do it
the globe to tout the wonders
of these tasty creationsBy Eleanor Nakama-Mitsunaga
Special to the Star-BulletinHoward Helmer makes a living at just that. His answer to the long-standing question, "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" is a resounding, egg, egg, egg. Eggs have been his life, and omelets his passion. It's a passion that led him to a Guinness Book world record and a quirky but nonetheless fulfilling vocation.
After 37 years with the American Egg Board, Helmer is now an omelet "evangelist," spreading the word about the virtues of egg eating.
In 1982 he seized an opportunity and a lifelong claim to fame by cooking 427 omelets in 30 minutes. It took a lot of practice and a whole lotta eggs, Helmer recalls. The world record sealed his fate.
But his love of omelets was born years before, when, as a boy, he watched his grandmother, a Russian immigrant, cook omelets for the family. "We didn't have much growing up," Helmer says. "My grandmother would always take leftovers and make them into a delicious omelet for breakfast."
It's a memory that is always shared in his cooking demonstrations. Helmer's shrimp omelet, a mixture of precooked shrimp, cottage cheese and fresh dill, is an homage to his grandmother. "We couldn't afford shrimp, so she used canned salmon instead," Helmer says fondly.
Since setting his record, Helmer has traveled the world, teaching the simplicity of omelets. Omelets are universal, Helmer explains. "Everyone in the world eats eggs and has some kind of omelet dish." From Cebu in the Philippines to Argentina (where his omelets egged out a few tango lessons), the feedback is always, "I had no idea that two eggs could be so versatile."
His is not your fancy French variety, but a hearty home-style omelet that sticks to your stomach. The foundation is simple, Helmer says. "All it takes is two eggs, 2 tablespoons of water and a teaspoon of butter, margarine or cooking oil." He suggests adding water instead of milk for light and fluffy omelets. The rest is up to the individual.
Virtually anything can go into an omelet, as Helmer demonstrated recently at Kahala Mall. Cheese, bell peppers, sausage, olives, tomatoes, green onions, spinach, mushrooms and chicken all went into his pan. And although he was just off the plane from New York, Helmer managed to incorporate local staples such as Spam, Portuguese sausage and even kim chee.
His repertoire includes an omelet rolled in a tortilla, a Japanese layered omelet and a johnny or "Keoni" cake (a cornmeal and egg griddle cake).
"I have no culinary background whatsoever," Helmer says. His motto is simple: "Anyone can make a perfect omelet in 40 to 60 seconds with the right technique."
His system:
>> Omelets should be cooked in under a minute. Any longer, and the egg proteins start to toughen. So all ingredients should be chopped and ready to go before any cooking begins.
>> Always make just one at a time. Eggs and water should be beaten in a bowl and ladled into the pan about 4 ounces at a time (the equivalent of two eggs and 2 tablespoons water). Helmer shakes his head at people who try to make a giant omelet for four and wonder why it never looks appetizing.
>> The pan needs to be really hot, "so hot it makes you nervous," Helmer jokes. Use a 10-inch, nonstick pan for a quick-cooking, generous-looking product. Add a teaspoon of butter, margarine or oil, and move the pan around to coat it in fat.
>> Add eggs and begin the "make a hole and fill" technique. Using a spatula, move a portion of the egg to the center and tilt the pan to let more of the raw egg coat the pan. Continue doing this until most of the egg is cooked but slightly runny.
>> Add the ingredients to one side (to the left if you're right-handed and vice versa). Fold the other half over the ingredients. If the egg tears in places, don't fret. The trick to a beautiful omelet is to invert the pan over the plate so the prettier side shows.
>> Garnish with a little of the filling to identify what's inside. Embellish with sour cream, salsa, herbs and other seasonings, or Tabasco.
Part comedian, chef and entertainer, Helmer radiates an enthusiasm for omelets that is contagious. After a quick half-hour of omelet preparation, the audience at Kahala Mall was converted. One after another, they came up to Helmer to thank him for some great ideas. Helmer was gracious and visibly embarrassed when a few people asked for his autograph.
"I was the first in my family to get a college education," Helmer says. "Who would've imagined that I'd be traveling the world making omelets for a living?"
BACK TO TOP
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Howard Helmer's
40-Second Omelet
1. Melt butter in a low-lipped pan
2. Add two beaten eggs.
3. Let mixture bubble.
4. Check that the bottom is no longer runny.
5. Add toppings (in this case kim chee).
6. Fold over and tip onto plate.
2 eggsBeat eggs, water and salt and pepper until well blended. In a 10-inch, nonstick omelet pan over medium-high heat, heat butter until just hot enough to sizzle a drop of water. Pour in egg mixture. Mixture should set immediately at edges. With an inverted pancake turner, push cooked portions from the edges of the pan toward the center so uncooked portions can spill onto the hot surface. Tilt the pan as necessary, keeping the bottom covered with egg.
2 tablespoons water
Salt and pepper to taste, optional
1 teaspoon butter, margarine or cooking oilWhen top is thickened and no visible liquid egg remains, place 1/2 cup or more of desired filling over half the omelet. Fold other half over filling. Invert to serve (turn the pan upside down over the plate). Serves 1.
Nutritional information unavailable.
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