Orange Omelette for Harlots and Ruffians -third attempt

Recipe #122: Orange Omelette for Harlots and Ruffians

This is a continuation of my experimentation for a 15th Century omelet/fritata. Attempts 1 and 2 can be found here.

from “Le ‘Registre de Cuisine’ de Jean de Bockenheim”, originally published in “Le Moyen Age à table” by Bruno Laurioux, Paris, Adam Biro, 1989.

Sic fac fritatem de pomeranciis

Recipe ova percussa, cum pomeranciis ad libitum tuum, et extrahe inde sucum, et mitte ad illa ova cum zucaro; post recipe oleum olive, bel segimine, et faac califieri in patella, et mitte illa ova intus. Et erit pro ruffianis et leccatricibus.
Translation:

How to make an orange omelette. Take eggs and break them, with oranges, as many as you like; squeeze their juice and add to it the eggs with sugar; then take olive oil or fat, and heat it in the pan and add the eggs. This was for ruffians and brazen harlots.

Ingredients (for this attempt):

4 medium chicken eggs

5 tablespoons of 100% orange juice.

1 teaspoon of organic, unbleached sugar

small pinch of salt.

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Method:

I followed the same steps as the previous two attempts, I just used more egg and juice. Because of how light and fluffy the eggs turn out, it doesn't feel like you've eaten a substantial meal. Since I was making this for my dinner, I chose to use 4 eggs.

I used the same 100% orange juice as the previous attempts; no added sugar or preservatives. I also used the same sugar. This time around it didn't work out as well. I think that the oil was too hot, as the eggs started to brown as soon as they hit the oil. 

The heat caused the eggs to squeeze some of the orange juice out as it set. There was a lot of liquid in the pan after I had moved the eggs to my plate. I turned off the heat to avoid burning the eggs, but with the liquid in the pan, and the acid and sugar in the mixture, kept the eggs from setting completely. It wasn't firm enough to flip in the pan in one piece, nor was it firm enough to fold.  What I ended up with was scrambled eggs instead of an omelet or frittata. 

The end result was still light and fluffy, and slightly sweet, but there was only a whisper of orange flavor. Still, a good dinner. I think that for the next attempt I will start off with a lower heat and let the eggs cook longer. This might not result in the same texture, but we shall see.