Recipes: Omelette à la piperade

Piperade refers to a mixture of onions, peppers, and tomatoes sauteed in olive oil. It is of Provencal provenance, and very versatile. You can use it as a basis for pasta sauces, or as a topping for pizza. Try adding anchovies, capers, and salt-cured olives for variety. You can also add eggplant and zucchini if it strikes your fancy. Vary the herbs too - basil and parsley work nicely. This is a breakfast or luncheon treat - unctuous, melting sauteed vegetables in a cloak of silky scrambled eggs. The fresh thyme really makes the dish, as does a long slow simmer of the vegetables in fragrant olive oil You can make individual omelets, as I am here, or just make scrambled eggs and add the vegetables. Serve with toast or roasted potatoes.

Ingredients - for 4

For the piperade:

1 red pepper, sliced
1 orange of yellow pepper
2 onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
pinch hot pepper flakes
2 tbsp tomato sauce or commercially-prepared salsa
t tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

For the omelets:

8 large eggs
4 tsp water
salt to taste
4 tbsp butter
4 oz soft goat cheese
4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Method:

For the piperade, saute the onions and peppers in the olive oil with the hot peppers and thyme. When onions are translucent and peppers are tender, add the garlic and saute until garlic is fragrant. Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce or salsa. Simmer until reduced and vegetables are meltingly soft.

Omelets:

For each omelet, whisk 2 eggs with 1 tsp water and salt to taste. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a medium skillet until bubbles have subsided. Add omelet mixture and shake pan until omelet begins to form. Add a a few tablespoons of piperade mixture and top with 1 oz crumbled goat cheese and 1 tbsp parmesan. fold omelet in half and flip onto a plate.

Repeat for remaining omelets. You can keep the omelets warm in a 200 degree oven as you make them.

Bon appetit!