Sunday Brunch: Soufflé Omelette with Rocket, Mint, and Feta

The sun is here once again! And what better excuse for a delicious home made brunch than to sit out in the (almost spring!) morning sun with a hot cup of coffee.

The beauty of home-made brunch is that you always get exactly what you feel like, and in your pyjamas too. Can't really ask for more than that on a Sunday morning (in the sun!).

This was my Sunday brunch on a perfect Wellington morning last week. A brunch for one, as Matt abandoned me to dive for scallops. No complaints here though. I topped a perfect morning brunch with the perfect scallop dinner. Pretty much a perfect day.

Don't be scared of the 'soufflé description; they're not difficult to make. But the result is a fluffy, light omelette with a difference.

Last time I made soufflé omelettes, texturally they were missing something. But I nailed that this time around; the trick is to cook them slowly (in butter of course), until the base gets nice and crispy, but not burnt. If you don't get the effect of the crispy outside, there's not enough textural substance to them.

Texture also comes from the filling; I filled mine with salty, crumbly feta, mint, and wild rocket. But you could go so many ways with these; what about balsamic caramelised onion, champagne ham and baby spinach; jalapenos, fresh salsa, and a dab of sour cream; or chorizo, tomato, and basil?

Soufflé Omelette (per person)

2 eggs, separated
1T milk or cream
Salt and pepper to season
Knob butter
Fillings of your choice - I used a handful of rocket, good quality sheep's milk feta, and a liberal amounts of mint

Put the egg yolks in a bowl. Add the milk, and season with salt and pepper. Whisk together until  blended.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric beater until you get stiff peaks. Add them to the egg yolk mixture, and fold gently to combine. Careful here; the air in the egg whites is what will give you that 'soufflé' texture.

Put a pan on a medium heat and add the butter. When the melted, pour in the egg mixture and turn the heat down to low. Cook gently until the bottom is golden brown, and the mixture on the top has set.  Add your toppings to one half of the omelette, and gently fold it in half.

Using a spatula, slide the omelette onto a plate, and eat immediately.