pat's Recipe

Chicken Divan-Style Omelet

Category: Eggs

Hollandaise Sauce (recipe follows)
8 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 of a 10-ounce package frozen cut broccoli or frozen cut asparagus, thawed and well drained, or 1 cup cut-up fresh broccoli or asparagus, cooked*
1/2 cup halved green grapes
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 cup cubed cooked chicken or turkey
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup shredded Swiss or Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)
Snipped fresh chives (optional)
Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)
Cooked shredded or diced hash brown potatoes (optional)
Raisin bread, toasted (optional)

Directions
1. Prepare Hollandaise Sauce. Keep warm while preparing omelets. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, water, salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Beat till combined but not frothy with a fork. Set aside.

2. For filling: In a large skillet, heat the broccoli and grapes in the 1 tablespoon hot butter over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add chicken. Heat about 2 minutes more or till mixture is heated through; drain off liquid. Keep warm.

3. For omelet: Heat an 8- or 10-inch nonstick skillet with flared sides over medium-high heat till skillet is hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter. When butter has melted, stir the egg mixture and add 1/2 cup to the skillet; reduce heat to medium. Immediately begin stirring egg mixture gently but continuously with wooden or heatproof plastic spatula till mixture resembles small pieces of cooked egg surrounded by liquid egg. Stop stirring. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds more or till egg mixture is set buy shiny.

4. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the filling and 2 tablespoons of the cheese across center of omelet. With a spatula lift and fold an edge of the omelet about a third of the way toward the center. Remove from heat. Fold the opposite edge toward the center; transfer to a warm dinner plate. Keep warm. Working quickly, repeat with remaining egg mixture, filling and cheese.

5. To serve, spoon some of the Hollandaise Sauce over the top of each omelet. If you like, sprinkle with chives and coarsely ground black pepper. Serve with potatoes and raisin toast, if you like.
Makes 4 servings.

*To cook fresh broccoli or asparagus, add to lightly salted boiling water and cook for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Hollandaise Sauce:Cut 1/2 cup butter into thirds. Bring butter to room temperature. In the top of a double boiler, combine 3 lightly beaten egg yolks, 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon ground white or cayenne pepper. Add 1 piece of the butter. Place over gently boiling water (upper pan should not touch water). Cook, stirring rapidly with a whisk, until butter melts and sauce begins to thicken. Add the remaining butter, 1 piece at a time, stirring constantly until melted. Continue to cook and stir about 2 minutes more or until sauce thickens. Immediately remove from heat and serve over omelets. If the sauce is too thick or if it curdles, immediately whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons hot water until it's smooth again. Makes about 3/4 cup.