
Invented at The Savoy Hotel in the 1920’s for the writer and critic Arnold Bennett. Many recipes have a sauce like hollandaise or bechamel but I have tried to make this version slightly healthier without loosing the unctuous texture. Traditionally a breakfast dish, we like to have it for brunch or lunch with a green salad.

Pour the milk into a pan (which will fit the fish snuggly), add the bay leaves, peppercorns, onion and a pinch of nutmeg. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and slide the fish into the milk and leave for up to 10 minutes, check after 5 minutes, you want the fish to easily flake. Remove to a plate and when cool enough to handle, remove the skin and check for bones, break into flakes and set aside.
Preheat the grill to high. Whisk the eggs with some seasoning (be careful with the salt at the smoked fish will be quite salty). Heat a large non stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the butter swirling it around to coat the base of the pan. Pour in the eggs to cover the base of the pan. Allow to cook for a couple of minutes then use a fork to draw the sides into the centre whilst tilting the pan to allow uncooked egg to run under the omelette.
Once the omelette is set underneath but still slightly runny on top, sprinkle over the flaked fish, drizzle over the cream and sprinkle with grated cheese. Place under the grill for a minute or two until lightly golden brown.
Remove from the grill and serve. If you’re having it for brunch or lunch, serve with a crisp green salad
Omelette Arnold Bennett
Ingredients
- 400 ml milk
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 peppercorns
- 1/2 onion sliced
- pinch nutmeg
- 300 g smoked haddock (or other undyed smoked white fish)
- 8 eggs
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 60 ml double cream
- 40 g gruyere grated
Instructions
- Pour the milk into a pan (which will fit the fish snuggly), add the bay leaves, peppercorns, onion and a pinch of nutmeg. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and slide the fish into the milk and leave for up to 10 minutes, check after 5 minutes, you want the fish to easily flake. Remove to a plate and when cool enough to handle, remove the skin and check for bones, break into flakes and set aside.
- Preheat the grill to high. Whisk the eggs with some seasoning (be careful with the salt at the smoked fish will be quite salty). Heat a large non stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the butter swirling it around to coat the base of the pan. Pour in the eggs to cover the base of the pan. Allow to cook for a couple of minutes then use a fork to draw the sides into the centre whilst tilting the pan to allow uncooked egg to run under the omelette.
- Once the omelette is set underneath but still slightly runny on top, sprinkle over the flaked fish, drizzle over the cream and sprinkle with grated cheese. Place under the grill for a minute or two until lightly golden brown.
- Remove from the grill and serve. If you're having it for brunch or lunch, serve with a crisp green salad
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