Bacon, Avocado & Cheese Omelet

This is brunch cooking engineered for feeding a crowd without standing at the stove flipping individual omelets. Sixteen eggs go into a Dutch oven with cooked bacon, cubed avocado, and plenty of shredded Monterey Jack. Into a 375°F (190°C) oven it goes, and twenty minutes later you have a big, puffed omelet that slices into six generous portions.

The foil-lined Dutch oven is the secret. Foil makes the omelet lift out in one piece for clean slicing, and the heavy pan walls hold steady heat that cooks the eggs evenly. Melted margarine in the batter adds richness and helps the eggs set tender instead of rubbery.

A quick fresh salsa (whatever ingredients the recipe suggests) spoons over each serving. The cool, acidic salsa cuts through the richness of the bacon-cheese-avocado combination and brightens every bite.

Kitchen Tips

• Cook the bacon crisp before adding to the egg mixture. Soft bacon turns chewy and slippery once surrounded by egg.
• Use ripe but firm avocado. Overripe avocado turns to mush when stirred into 16 eggs; rock-hard avocado won’t soften during the bake.
• Beat the eggs and water until fully incorporated, not streaky. Unblended eggs bake in patches of white and yolk.
• Line the Dutch oven with foil that extends up over the sides for easy lift-out. Skipping this means chiseling the omelet out of the pan.
• Let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Freshly baked eggs weep; a rest lets them set fully.

Variations

• Swap Monterey Jack for sharp cheddar, pepper Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend for different flavor leans.
• Stir in diced green chiles, jalapenos, or a spoonful of chipotle in adobo for heat.
• Serve with a side of pico de gallo or warm salsa verde instead of the included salsa.