Frozen Lemon Souffle

I am a mushroom. That's right; I am a pale Washingtonian mushroom that does not fair well with heat. Anything above 75 degrees and I start to get uncomfortable. Once it reaches 90 and above, I am a shriveled little pile of...well...dehydrated mushroom. So considering that our weather is already reaching 80 degrees and it's only the month of May, I'm pretty sure I am doomed to be a big pile of "nope" come August.

But I have a secret weapon.

On those hot summer days when I am marinating in the inescapable heat, sweat tickling down my limbs as I feel my energy evaporating from my body, I turn to my secret weapon. It's my sweet, refreshing chill of hope that gives me just enough of a boost to survive the heat a little bit longer. I am talking about none other than the delicious savior of summer: frozen lemon souffle.

 Now, if you've never made a souffle before and are feeling completely intimidated at the very mention of one, don't worry. This isn't a traditional souffle. Although it may sound fancy, this dessert is quite easy to make. Top it off with some fresh berries and you'll have yourself a hit dessert at your next BBQ!

So if you feel like you are melting in the rising temperature, melt into this dessert and see if it doesn't give you reason to survive the heat.

Frozen Lemon Souffle

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest plus 3/4 cup lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)
8 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cold heavy cream
berries for topping (optional)

Wrap the outside of a 3 1/2 cup souffle mold or four 6oz ramekins with parchment, extending 2 to 3 inches above the rim (it should fit snugly). Secure with tape, set aside.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together granulated sugar, lemon zest and juice, egg yolks, and salt over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and small bubbles form around the edge of the pan, about 5 minutes (do NOT boil). Immediately remove from the heat while continuing to whisk. Pour into a heatproof bowl.

Place plastic wrap directly against the surface of the curd and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes (or overnight).

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into cooled lemon curd. In the same large bowl, beat cream on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into lemon curd mixture. Pour into the prepared mold and freeze until firm, 6 hours (or over night). To serve, remove parchment and top with berries.

Grilled Chicken Gyros

When I first heard of tzatziki sauce, I was horribly confused. A yogurt sauce that had dill in it?...You mean, like a pickle? I thought yogurt was supposed to be sweet. My mom laughed at me. "It's for putting on gyros." she explained.

"...g..gyro?...What the heck is that?"

"It's sorta like a sandwich made with pita bread."

Pita bread? It was all Greek to me. [insert laugh track here] Little did I know what amazingly fresh flavors awaited. After my first bite of a chicken gyro, my love affair with Greek food began. For a summer in high school, I practically lived off of gyros and Greek fries, hitting up the little hole-in-the-wall Greek restaurant that sat right across the way from the movie theater. I was the epitome of summer laziness: lounging around in the summer sun, tzatziki sauce smudged in the corner of my mouth as I devoured a plump gyro, a plate full of Greek fries in my lap, and an Italian soda to wash it all down.

....man, I miss summer break!

Anyway, as we creep closer to the summer season, I can't help but find myself gravitating towards gyros and all the sloppy, juicy, savory, refreshing deliciousness they have to offer. So after years of indulging in store-bought gyros, I finally decided to learn how to make them myself. The result was dangerous. Why? Because it was ridiculously easy to make and so delicious; now I have the ability to make gyros whenever my heart desires! 

Good bye dear waistline! Mama's gonna get fat on gyros this summer! ;)

Pita Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup water

2 tsp dry active yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
2½ tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
drizzle of olive oil

In a small bowl, warm the water to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit (just above body temperature). Add the yeast to the water and let sit for about 5 minutes.

Pour the yeast and water into the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached. Slowly add the flour, salt, and olive oil while kneading the dough. The dough should be tacky, so you may not need 3 full cups of flour. It's better to have too little flour than too much (you can always add more later). Knead the dough in the mixer until it is smooth, about 5 minutes. Brush a little olive oil over the dough, cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Let rise for an hour or until it has doubled in size.

Turn the dough out onto a floured working surface. Cut the dough into 6-8 pieces. Using a rolling pin, flatten each piece into a circle about ¼ inch thick. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky.
Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle a little olive oil into the skillet before adding the disks of dough. Cook the pita for about 30 seconds or until bubbles start to form. Flip the dough over and cook for about a minute, until lightly browned. Flip the dough back over and cook for another minute, until the pita puffs up. Remove from heat and cover with a clean dish towel. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.

Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
2 cups plain Greek yogurt

4 teaspoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons dried dill

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerated until ready to use.

Grilled Chicken Gyros

pita bread

tzatziki sauce

red bell pepper, sliced

purple onion

cucumber, sliced

lettuce, shredded

seasoned grilled chicken

fresh tomato, sliced

feta cheese

Smear a layer of tzatziki sauce on the pita bread. Layer all other ingredients into the pita, using as much as you would like. Top off with an extra drizzle of tzatziki, fold over, and serve. Enjoy!