The perfect omelette is very difficult to get right – no wonder it’s always the first test in any TV cooking competition.

I’ve read all the ‘perfect’ omelette methods – but mine is a little simpler.

Heat butter in the pan first –  NOT oil!

You might try adding a little water to the egg mix (but not milk) for a fluffy omelette. 

Essentially treat as scrambled eggs to start off, stirring on a low heat. 

In this case I warmed the grated cheese in the oven and then added with thumb and forefinger to the eggs before any setting of the mix.

Then keep stirring a la scrambled eggs. As the base starts to set (on a low heat, remember) using a wide-base spatula (in an inverted mode) bring the mix into the centre of the pan in an omelette shape.

The base will now be firmish but the  top will still be runny. 

With the wide base spatula placed between pan and the firming-up egg mix, simply turn over and cook for just one further minute.

So no folding or tricky ‘rolling’ out of the pan!

Voila – the result is the perfect slightly runny soft-centred omelette. Delicious – although with good eggs like Burford Brown’s at 60p an egg not as cheep-cheep (get it!) as it used to be!

This is a two-egg mature cheese omelette with a few triple-fried chunky chips.

Final tip – if, as it should be, you use a non- stick omelette pan, when you have served up (on a warm plate of course), return the pan to the still hot hob. 

Leave until your meal is finished and you will find the egg remnants are fully cooked and dried on, and so easy to clean now with just a single wipe of a kitchen towel!

Peter Desmond-Thomas

Drayman’s Way, Alton