Mushroom & Lettuce Omelet
Last week one of my CSAs practically apologized for their bounty of beautiful greens. Imagine that! No need to apologize, thank you, for sharing a box overflowing with fresh goodness! I’ll just freeze kale with prosciutto and turn a bunch of lettuce into a mushroom & lettuce omelet.
Mushroom & Lettuce Omelet
As gardeners know, spinach, the classic omelet green, is not a fan of summer. When the heat arrives, it bolts, producing seeds and turning bitter. So in the past I resolved, in the true spirit of seasonal eating, to cross spinach omelets off the menu when the thick of summer arrived.
But an abundance of lettuce just made me wonder: what if I replaced the omelet’s spinach with lettuce greens?
Mushroom & Lettuce Omelet from above
With a frightening stuffed refrigerator, I knew I had to give it a try. And the answer is… (drumroll) this makes an entirely satisfactory omelet! While I might not pick lettuce when spinach is available, it is a great answer both to absence of spinach and deluge of lettuce. It was slightly chewier, slightly more bitter and a duller shade of green, but honestly, if I weren’t looking for differences, I’m not sure I would have noticed.
Mushroom & Lettuce Omelet with tea
Tips for a better mushroom & lettuce omelet
A couple things that may help lettuce go incognito into an omelet:
Pay attention to lettuce variety. An endive or radicchio omelet is going to have a higher level of bitterness which may not be appealing. A mix that is low in bitter greens or a mild single green like butter lettuce should work well. And remember that salty or umami flavors can balance bitterness, so considering using (or adjusting) the amount of miso/Worcestershire sauce in the filling. 
Lettuce (even tender spring greens) can be stringier than spinach. Chop or julienne before cooking for best results. An easy way to julienne a leafy green is to layer a few leaves on top of each other then roll up into a tube. Cut thin strips along the length of the tube for more tender strips.
Happy summer!
- • 4 eggs
- • ¼ cup water
- • ¼ teaspoon salt
- • ¼ teaspoon pepper
- • 1 tablespoon butter or oil
- • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced or chopped
- • 1 teaspoon white miso or 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- • 4 ounces lettuce, chopped
- • 1 ounce shredded parmesan cheese (about ½ cup)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, salt and pepper.
- Melt the butter or add oil to a hot skillet. Add the mushrooms and miso (or Worcestershire sauce) and cook until mushrooms are golden, 5-10 minutes. Add the lettuce (in batches if it won’t all fit) and cook until very wilted. When done, remove to a small bowl and cover.
- Clean the skillet and place over medium high heat. When pan in hot, spray with non-stick spray and pour in half of the egg mixture. Cook for 1 minute or so, until the bottom just begins to set. Using a spatula, lift the edges to allow the uncooked mixture to flow to the bottom of the pan. Repeat until almost set. Sprinkle with half of the parmesan, then place under broiler until fully cooked
- Top with half of the lettuce mixture. Using a spatula, fold the omelet in half and remove to a serving plate.
- Re-clean the skillet, then repeat with the remaining eggs, vegetables, and cheese to make a second omelet.
- Serve hot.
My family would love this! And I’m sure I would too!
Have a great weekend, Inger.
What a great idea, Inger! I would never have thought of using lettuce in place of spinach! And it looks beautiful, too.
Well it was an act of desperation David, but I was glad in the end!
I have always wondered if lettuce would work but was never brave enough to try it. Glad you’re more adventurous than me – now I have my answer! 🙂
I also tried lettuce soup–which was less successful, though I haven’t given up!
Oh my, my kids would love this as much as I would!
I’ve always figured omelets were a great way to get more vegetables into my kids Angela!
Delicious !!
We love omelette 🙂 🙂
We love omelets too Gloria–so much goodness in a single package!