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Ham, onion, and bell pepper are typical ingredients in a Denver omelette, often known as a Western omelette. It is among the legendary egg preparation. The Denver omelette has become an institution for American diners. This variation is more substantial than a traditional French omelette and has a decadent, caramelised flavour. Many legends surround it. Its meteoric climb to prominence as the Denver Egg Sandwich was covered extensively in the media during the 1950s. In contrast, the Denver Omelet had already exceeded the sandwich in popularity by the 1980s. Gourmets eventually stopped using bread and started eating the Denver Omelette with a knife and fork. The Denver Sandwich has all but almost vanished from the face of the earth.
History of Denver Omelette
The Denver Omelet's origins are murky at best. Different things are said about it. But, to put it mildly, one of the most widely held beliefs among historians is bizarre. Egg foo yong, an omelette common in Chinese Indonesian, British Chinese, and Chinese American cuisines, was reportedly the inspiration for this meal. In the 1800s, Chinese workers on the transcontinental railroad may have cooked the egg foo young, essentially a scramble that hides rancid eggs with onions. After gaining popularity throughout the state of Utah, the sandwich was given the moniker "Denver" in honour of Denver City.
Introduction and fame as Denver Sandwich
It's worth noting that the now-famous Denver Omelet wasn't originally conceived as an omelette. It was dubbed the Denver Sandwich. Thus, the first iteration of this dish consisted essentially of a Denver Omelet sandwiched between two slices of bread. It may claim to be one of the earliest successful egg sandwiches ever manufactured. It first emerged around the year 1900. Newspapers and magazines in 1950 were naming it as one of the country's most popular sandwiches. Denver Sanwich's popularity and customer base grew steadily over time. In 1959, a syndicated story declared the Denver Sandwich the most well-known sandwich.
Denver Sanwich, Image Source:Wikipedia
In the heart of Denver, on California, between 15th and 16th streets, there's a tiny plaque designating the spot as the origin of the Denver Omelet. Despite its popularity, Denver residents dislike owning it. Others even refer to it as a "Western Omelet."
Denver Omelette Recipes
Egg omelette, Image Source: Pexels
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup diced smoked ham
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons diced onion
- ⅓ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper as needed
- 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
Method
- In a bowl, whisk the eggs until they are barely mixed. Do not overmix. Put the butter in a pan and let it melt over medium heat. Throw in some ham, onions and peppers, and flavour it with salt and pepper. After about 5 minutes of stirring and cooking, the onions should be tender, and the ham should begin caramelising.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Now add the eggs. Quickly stir with a spatula and shake the pan to disperse the ingredients. Move the spatula rapidly around the omelette's perimeter. Season the omelette with cayenne pepper and sharp cheddar cheese.
- Shake the pan regularly and cook for approximately 5 minutes or until the top is still moist but not runny. Fold the omelette in half using a spatula and place it on a platter.
Enjoy the classic Denver Omelette which said to have created by Chinese labourers to hide the foul smell of rancid eggs.
