Serving suggestion: Way too much sour cream and some pickled onionsPhoto: Claire Lower
Onion dip and potatoes are a winning combination. The classic pairing of a thin, super salty potato chip and creamy, umami-packed onion dip is a top-tier snack, but I’ve also been know to mix store-bought dip into mashed potatoes, to excellent results.
According to me, when added to a bowl of roughed up spuds, “the emulsified oil product helps marry the hydrophilic with the hydrophobic, creating a velvety, creamy bowl of spuds with a surprisingly subtle oniony flavor and just enough umami.” So why not take advantage of these emulsifying properties, and do the same with a Spanish tortilla?
If you are unfamiliar, a Spanish tortilla is an omelette made with thinly sliced potatoes and (often) a little onion. Both Ferran Adrià and Kenji Lopez-Alt have made quick “cheater” versions using potato chips, so getting dip involved seemed like a natural next step.
You can use homemade dip if you want to go to the effort, but don’t be afraid to embrace the pre-made. It’s faster, and the emulsifiers in store-bought onion dip keep things smooth and creamy. The flavor is surprisingly subtle in the finished product, though salt levels can vary from brand to brand. My two favorites are from Trader Joe’s and Lay’s, either of which will add a bit of richness and savory onion flavor to the omelet without overwhelming the eggs. Combine with handfuls of potato chips and—boom—you’re eating chips and dip for breakfast.
I use a base ratio of 1 tablespoon of dip for every egg, but you could probably add a couple of extra spoonfuls if you really wanted to up the umami. The recipe below makes a fairly thin 10-inch omelette, but you can double it to thicken it up (just keep the pan size the same).
To make a chip ‘n’ dip omelette, you will need:
3 eggs1/4 cup prepared onion dipSalt and pepper2 large handfuls thin potato chipsOlive oilSour cream (or more dip) for servingPickled onions for servingMSG for servingAdd eggs and dip to a sealable container or jar and season lightly with salt and pepper. (If your dip is very salty, omit the salt.) Close the container and shake until fully emulsified. Add potato chips and gently press them down until they are submerged in the egg mixture. Gently shake one more time, then let the chips soften in the egg mixture for 10 minutes.
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Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet (or well-seasoned cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Add just enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. Once the oil starts to shimmer, pour the egg mixture into the skillet and use a spatula to evenly distribute the potato chips. (If you doubled the recipe, scramble the eggs for 10 seconds first before spreading them into an even layer; this will ensure your omelette isn’t too wet inside.)
Photo: Claire Lower
Let the omelette cook until it is mostly set but still wet on top, then flip with a large spatula. If you’re worried about the flip, you can place a large plate or pan lid over the top of the pan, then invert the pan over the plate/lid. Slide the omelette off the plate/lid and back into the pan, then cook for another couple of minutes.
Slide the omelette onto a cutting board and cut into wedges or squares. Serve immediately or allow to come to room temperature—both are good options. Enjoy with dollops of sour cream, sprinkles of MSG, and plenty of pickled onions (to hit as many flavor notes as possible).
