The Trick To Making An Egg Yolk Omelet

If you like rich flavor, you'll love James Corden's wife's go-to omelet – an opposition to the egg white omelet that was brought to light due to a mishap that occurred with the talk show host at a New York City restaurant. According to People, Corden was banned from Balthazar after making a scene while dining, with owner Keith McNally calling him "his most abusive customer."

It started when Corden's wife, Julia Carey, ordered an egg yolk omelet with gruyere and a salad. After noticing egg whites in Carey's omelet, Corden sent it back. When the plate returned, he was given a side of home fries instead of the salad he requested. McNally states that Corden then began yelling to the server, "You can't do your job! Maybe I should go into the kitchen and cook the omelette myself!" As McNally made the occurrence known through an Instagram post, he claimed it was actually Corden's second offense, with his first outburst happening in early summer. However, after Corden copiously apologized, McNally welcomed him back into his restaurant.

After so much drama was sparked from an improperly made egg yolk omelet, we decided to dive deeper. While Corden's behavior was unacceptable, it's impossible not to question his wife's order. Egg yolks are richer in flavor than egg whites, but higher in cholesterol and fat, states The Washington Post. Also, egg whites provide the fluff in an omelet, whereas egg yolks make them fall flat. 

According to People, there are several ways to make an egg yolk omelet, but only one right way. They started with just four egg yolks, whisked and placed into the pan with salt and pepper. This left a flat consistency with no omelet-like fluffiness. In fact, it resembled a crepe, and had a very subpar flavor. They then tried blending the egg yolks to aerate it, but once it was cooked, the omelet had a thicker yet tougher consistency, often because blenders can par-cook things. This unique dish needs a second player to get it to the right consistency. After testing three more batches, one with seltzer water, one with milk, and one with water, four egg yolks whisked with two tablespoons of water made for the perfect concoction. The water diluted the ultra-rich flavor from the egg yolks, preventing too much chewiness. 

The Washington Post also encouraged egg-eaters to add water to their egg yolk omelets, saying that when it comes to omitting the whites, it is important to thin out the texture of the yolks with water, or even milk. "I think you may want to thin with milk or water," said food writer Becky Krystal. Because "what you're losing when you cut the whites is water," she explained.

All in all, whisking egg yolks with water has the best balance in terms of texture and flavor.