Put Apple in Your Omelet

I love a Granny Smith smeared with almond butter, but sometimes I like to get more creative with my apples. Obviously they do well in applesauce and baked apples and crumbles and smoothies. But one of the best ways to use an apple is a bit more savory: an omelet. Apple in omelet is like a slice of cheddar cheese over apple pie. It sounds sort of weird at first, but after that first time you try it, you understand.

Start with any apple that floats your boat. I like to go with tart and sweet ones like Granny Smith, McIntosh, and Gala. Throw any Red Delicious directly into the compost, as they are not delicious at all. Thinly slice the apple and set it aside while you mix up two eggs. Season the eggs with salt and pepper and add a splash of milk or cream if you want to amp up their creaminess. Pour the eggs into a hot pan greased with butter or olive oil, agitate them a bit with a spatula, then leave them alone over medium low heat.

After the eggs have firmed up a bit, add your omelet fillings, starting with the sliced apples in a nice neat line. I like to keep the rest relatively simple: caramelized onions or minced chives, sharp cheddar or goat cheese (Swiss or gruyere work too), maybe a bit of crisped bacon or pancetta if I have some on hand. I don't recommend leaning into classic diner omelet stuff, like spinach or tomatoes or green pepper or cubed ham, as I think they take away from the similicty of the apples, but go with your gut.

When the eggs are firm enough for your liking, roll up the omelet (or just fold it in half or thirds) and turn it out onto a plate. More salt and pepper, maybe add some butter lettuce dressed with lemon juice and shallots on the side. This is the kind of luxe breakfast that in my opinion should be eaten while doing something you love, be that catching up on a season of your favorite show, a hard-but-not-mind-melting crossword puzzle, chatting with your cat, etc. If you can help it, don’t do anything else for at least an hour afterwards.