Omelette Arnold Bennett

Serves	3 to 4
Prep time	15 minutes
Cook time	5 minutes
Total time	20 minutes
Allergy	Egg, Fish, Milk
Meal type	Breakfast, Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish, Snack, Starter
Misc	Gourmet, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot
Occasion	Casual Party, Christmas, Formal Party
Region	British
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

The writer Arnold Bennett was so delighted with the egg, smoked haddock and parmesan concoction that chefs at the Savoy created for him, he insisted on it being made wherever he travelled. And at the Savoy, Omelette Arnold Bennett remains a standard dish to this day.

Ingredients

300g smoked haddock
2 bay leaves
10 peppercorns
milk for poaching
8 tablespoons crème fraîche
2 lemons, zest only
225g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
large bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped
black pepper
9 large free-range eggs
butter for frying

Note

Directions

Step 1	Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 or preheat the grill.
Step 2	Place the smoked haddock pieces into a large frying pan or wok that has a lid, pour over the milk and add bay leaves and peppercorns. Gently poach over a low heat for 10-12 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
Step 3	Whilst the haddock is poaching, mix the crème fraîche with the lemon zest, grated parmesan and most of the chives. Season, to taste, with freshly ground black pepper. (The smoked haddock is quite salty, so add some salt if needed.)
Step 4	Heat the butter in a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat, and pour in the eggs, stirring slightly as they cook to loosen them from the sides of the pan. Keep bringing the cooked eggs that set on the sides of the pan in to the middle with a Teflon spatula.
Step 5	Flake the haddock, removing the skin while the eggs are cooking, taking care to remove any remaining bones. (My smoked haddock had no skin or bones)
Step 6	When the eggs are still slightly runny on top but have started to set, spoon over the crème fraîche mixture, then scatter over the flaked haddock and transfer the omelette to the oven for 4-5 minutes, or until cooked through and slightly risen and puffed up. Remove from the oven.
Step 7	To serve, Slide the omelette onto a serving plate, sprinkle over the remaing chives and serve with lemon slices and seasonal salad, herbs or greens.