"Matti Lamprhey" > wrote in message
...
> "Reid©" > wrote...
> > Following up to Robert Bannister
> >
> > >There are two sorts of omelette. There is the light, fluffy kind,
> > >preferably made with just eggs and no filling - the best ones I've
> > >had were in Belgium. Then there are omelettes with lots of filling:
> > >Spanish omelette, Bauernfrühstück, etc., which are not cooked
> > >in the same way and for which olive oil is perfect.
> >
> > I think its worth saying that the only similarity between a
> > spanish tortilla and a french omelette is egg. IMHO "filling"
> > isn't the right word for a tortilla, the potato being integral.
> >
> > As you say olive oil is fine for both frying and deep frying. The
> > use of butter for a french omelette is presumably for the taste,
> > as its not a high temperature process, whereas the tortilla
> > requires raising the olive oil to smoke point.
>
> Hmm. I don't think olive oil will stand up to the high temperatures
> which are often associated with deep frying. I wouldn't use it for
> chips, f'r instance.
>
You are quite right, it would be unwise to use it for chips. Omelettes are
not deep fried though! The smoke point of olive oil is much higher than the
burn point of butter so is better for omelettes.

Actually I simplified it rather. What I actually do is use a little olive
oil to get the pan heated to the smoke point, then I add the butter, just
before (or sometimes mixed into the omelette mixture) adding the omelette
mixture. The reason for doing this is that adding oil to butter increases
the burn point of butter, so a mix of 90% butter, 10% olive oil won't burn
at the smoke point of olive oil - pure butter will.


--
'They.. sucked the Tobacco smoak in greedily, swallow it down with the
Water. For which reason..generally at..the first Pipe in the Morning, they
fall down drunk and insensible.' - 1698 A. Brand 'Embark Muscovy to China'