Simple Omelette Arnold Bennett

A delicious omelette Arnold Bennett that is full of flavour and simple to prepare. A rich and indulgent breakfast or brunch dish but equally delicious for dinner with a side of salad or crusty bread.

For me comfort food so often starts with eggs, in this case an omelette. Whilst I will happily enjoy an omelette in any form, this one marries two of my favourite ingredients, eggs and smoked haddock. Omelette Arnold Bennett is pretty close to omelette perfection for me.

The original Savoy recipe tops the fish with a béchamel, which would be rich and decadent. Whilst those ingredients will make a delicious omelette, not everyone wants that indulgence all the time.

I wanted to lighten the dish, keeping it simple with egg and fish, and topping it with a little parmesan and cream. Also, for the best omelette, I very gently poach the fish in milk flavoured with bay leaves and black peppercorns to ensure the fish remains tender and juicy.

Why you'll love this recipe

• A few simple ingredients you can elevate and produce an omelette that is packed full of flavour.
• Made with eggs and smoked haddock, this protein packed meal will keep you fuller for longer.
• This is a quick and easy recipe, ideal when you want a really tasty place of food, fast.

Omelette Arnold Bennett ingredients

• Poaching liquid - I like to poach the smoked haddock in a mixture of whole milk and water.
• Flavouring - the poaching liquor is flavoured with a bay leaf (you can use fresh or dried) and some whole black peppercorns.
• Fish - this omelette is traditionally made with smoked haddock fillet, my preference if for undyed smoked haddock.
• Butter - I use unsalted butter to cook the eggs.
• Eggs - I use 3 large free range eggs for one omelette.
• Seasoning - I season the eggs with sea salt and black pepper.
• Cheese - some grated parmesan cheese flavours the omelette.
• Cream - I use double cream in place of a heavy bechamel sauce, for a lighter omelette.
• Fresh herbs - freshly chopped parsley adds a burst of herbal freshness, and parsley pairs beautifully with smoked fish.

How to make omelette Arnold Bennett

• Pour the milk and water into a large based pan and add the bay leaf and black peppercorns. Bring the liquid to the boil then turn down to a simmer. Place the fish in the milk mixture and poach gently for 3-4 minutes.
• Remove the fish from the pan and set aside. Once cooled break the fillet into bite-sized flakes, ensuring there are no bones.

TOP TIP: Rather than waste the poaching liquid, I will sometimes poach some extra smoked haddock, then use the poaching liquid and extra fish to make Cullen Skink, a traditional soup made with smoked haddock and potatoes.

• Heat the butter gently in a small grill-proof frying pan. Meanwhile beat the eggs together and season with salt and pepper.
• Add the eggs to the frying pan and stir gently to ensure the eggs start to set. When the bottom of the omelette is set but the top is still wet take the pan off the heat.
• Place the flakes of fish over the omelette, sprinkle over the parmesan cheese, double cream and chopped parsley.
• Place the pan under a medium-hot grill and cook the omelette on the top until just cooked and lightly browned.
• Remove the pan from the grill and immediately serve the omelette onto a plate to stop it cooking. Enjoy straight away.

Recipe variations

• Fish - I've used smoked haddock in this recipe, but you could use other smoked fish fillets. Smoked cod would be the closest option, but you could also try lightly smoked salmon fillets or smoked mackerel.
• Cream - I've used double cream in this recipe in place of the more traditional bechamel sauce. This lightens the omelette. You could swap double cream (heavy cream) for single cream (half and half).
• Cheese - I've used Parmesan cheese, you could also swap for pecorino romano or similar hard cheese.
• Fresh herbs - parsley pairs beautifully with fish, but you could also use fresh chives or even some fresh basil.

Serving suggestions

This is a filling and nutritious protein packed meal. This omelette serves one and if I'm adding anything else with would be a green salad or a slice of crusty bread and butter.

Useful hints and tips

1. When poaching the fish, cook it slowly on a gentle simmer, you don't want to boil the fish and risk it overcooking!
2. This is an omelette and best served warm, straight from the pan. Heating up the omelette would result in the eggs overcooking.
3. Allergy advice: gluten free, soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.

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Additional recipe suggestions

If you like this recipe then try some of these great tasting recipes:

• Smoked Haddock Kedgeree
• Quick & Healthy Green Omelette
• Twice Baked Cheese Souffles

Hosting your own brunch then take the stress out of it and head to my Ultimate Guide to Brunch. In this article, you'll find all my brunch recipes together in one place with some great advice on how to get started.