Denver Omelet Salad

The second book is finished. "Set the Table: Recipes and Life Lessons for Young Women Finding Their Way." Sent to Katherine in Athens. Part cookbook, part mentoring guide, drawn from the program, for the girls. Recipes are simple: scrambled eggs, cornbread, chicken, soup, the foundations. The stories are the girls' stories — Destiny's, Diamond's, Tasha's, Keyana's, the girl from the summer intensive who made fried chicken and said "I made this" and the words changed her. The book is less personal than the first. And more universal. The first book was a daughter writing about her mother. The second book is a teacher writing about her students. Both are about the table. Both are about the line. Both are about women holding spatulas and saying: I am here. I matter. Watch me cook.

When I was putting together the recipes for the second book, I kept coming back to eggs — because eggs are where so many of the girls start, and because there’s something about cracking one open and watching it come together in the pan that feels like a first step toward everything else. The Denver Omelet Salad was one of those recipes I knew belonged in these pages: it’s simple enough that you’re not scared of it, but complete enough that when you set it on the table you feel like you did something real. That’s the whole lesson, right there on the plate.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

6 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
3/4 cup diced ham (about 4 oz)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons olive oil (for dressing)

Instructions

Whisk the eggs. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper until smooth and slightly frothy. Set aside.
Cook the vegetables and ham. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the diced bell peppers and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the diced ham and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Scramble the eggs. Return the skillet to medium-low heat. Pour in the egg mixture and let it sit undisturbed for 30 seconds until the edges begin to set. Using a spatula, gently push the eggs from the edges toward the center, folding them in large, soft curds. Remove from heat while still slightly glossy — they will finish cooking off the heat. Season with remaining salt and pepper.
Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard. Slowly drizzle in the 3 tablespoons olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Assemble the salad. Divide the romaine lettuce among four bowls or plates. Top each with cherry tomatoes, the cooked pepper-and-ham mixture, and a portion of the soft-scrambled eggs. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
Dress and serve. Drizzle the dressing over each salad just before serving. Serve immediately while the eggs are still warm.

Nutrition (per serving)

Denver Omelet Salad — A Foundation Recipe for Women Who Are Just Getting Started