Stinky Cheese Omelet with Herb Topping
This menu staple from Jonathon Sawyer, the chef/owner of Cleveland’s Greenhouse Tavern, utilizes Époisses, his favorite cheese. To mix it up, as the restaurant often does, try this recipe with Petit Munster, Reblochon, or a domestic washed-rind cheese such as Meadow Creek Dairy Grayson. An 8-inch skillet really helps in properly forming the omelets.
Ingredients
Herb Topping
- 1 tablespoon cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½ cup chopped soft herbs such as tarragon, chervil, ramp leaves, Italian parsley, mint, and/or chives
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- Kosher salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- ½ cup chopped fresh herbs such as tarragon, chervil, ramp leaves, Italian parsley, mint, and/or chives
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter divided
- 2 tablespoons ripe Époisses divided
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Add the fresh herbs, and stir to coat evenly.
- Crack 1 egg into a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and beat with a fork until frothy. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add half of the butter. When the butter has stopped foaming, pour the beaten egg into the center of the pan and stir vigorously with a spatula. As soon as the egg begins to lift from the pan, use the spatula to loosen the edges and shape the omelet. Let the omelet rest for about 3 minutes, then top with half of the Époisses. While the omelet rests, prepare the second egg.
- Once the omelet has rested for 3 minutes, give the pan one very vigorous forward and backward jerk to loosen it. Fold the omelet into thirds by lifting up and folding one side toward the center; repeat with the other side. Slide the omelet onto one of the prepared plates. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add the remaining butter, and prepare the second omelet the same way. Serve omelets with herb topping.
Amy Scheuerman
Amy Scheuerman—culture's former web director—spent eight years in North Carolina where she developed a love of barbecue and biscuits before moving up north to get a degree in nutrition. She now works at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
