Mastiha infused recipes from Chios

It's been a wonderful summer in Chios and I have to share these latest mastiha recipes that we enjoyed over dinner with family and friends. The island of Chios is the only place on earth where mastic trees grow and give the resin that add such a unique flavor to enhance both sweet and savory dishes. If you're curious to learn more about the history of mastic trees and mastiha pearls, scroll down to the end of the blog.

If it's the cooking you're more interested in, well, I have two fantastic dishes for you! Those of you who've been following this Zelos Life blog for a while probably have figured out that I like to entertain, and I truly enjoy it more when I'm in Chios for our family's summer holidays. My latest Greek Island Dinner was inspired by mastiha and more precisely by Diane Kochylas’ cookbook, Mastiha Cuisine. I've always admired Diane, for she was one of the first truly popular Greek cookbook authors in the States, and I’m thrilled that we’re both promoting Greek cuisine to a wider audience. When I was a young woman, I would read her recipes every Sunday in Greece’s V Magazino and make them during the week.

A few years ago, when Diane co-authored her Mastiha Cuisine cookbook with Mastiha Shop, the commercial arm of Chios' mastic growers, I bought it immediately. That’s where I got this recipe for a squid ink risotto with octopus and mastiha liqueur that my good friend Chef Zurab helped me make for a big dinner party. Zurab added his own mastiha touch to our meal with a delicious white chocolate mousse, flavored with mastiha liqueur and citrus fruits, a cool, refreshing dessert that was perfect for a warm summer night in Chios.

Here are both recipes - they make for an easy, yet elegant meal to share with family & friends. Give them a try!

Squid Ink Risotto with Mastiha Liqueur

Ingredients to make a squid ink risotto with mastiha liqueur

2/3 cup Mastiha liqueur

1/3 cup dry white wine

4-5 cups vegetable stock

6-8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 fennel bulb, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 tbsp squid ink

1 cup arborio rice

1 small octopus

salt & pepper

How to make a squid ink risotto with mastiha liqueur

To make the squid ink risotto with octopus, wash and place the octopus in a pot with 2 bay leaves. Cover and place on the stove over medium-low heat and let it cook for about an hour or until soft. You don't need to add water, for the octopus will cook in its own liquids and will be ready when there's only just a little bit of liquid left in the pot. At that point, take the pot off the burner, drain the liquid (see below on why you should keep the liquid!), pour in the mastiha liqueur and return to a low heat to simmer. As soon as the alcohol burns off, cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces and put it to the side.

In a medium pot, heat the stock and keep it on a back burner, simmering. Then heat up half of your oil in a large, deep skillet and sauté the onion, fennel and garlic. Add the rice and stir for 1-2 minutes. Then add the squid ink and stir.

Lower the heat and add the mastiha liqueur. As soon as it steams off, add the wine and stir until it's fully absorbed. Then add 1/2 cup of your hot broth, stirring until it is absorbed. Add another another ladle of broth, stirring until absorbed, and repeating until the rice is tender but "al dente".

Once your rice is cooked to your taste, remove it from the heat, mix in the octopus pieces, season with salt and pepper to taste and pour in the remaining olive oil. Mix well, sprinkle with some chopped fennel and serve.

Note 1: Diane's original recipe called for 2 squid or cuttlefish, but I changed that to octopus. If you prefer squid or cuttlefish, then follow these instructions: before you start making the risotto, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a separate nonstick skillet and sauté the squid or cuttlefish over high heat for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, pour in the mastiha liqueur, and as soon as it burns off, take the pan off the heat, cut up the squid or cuttlefish and add to your risotto when you start stirring in the stock. 

Note 2:When you drain your cooked octopus, keep the liquid in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for a few days and make a tasty base for a couscous or orzo recipe.

Mastiha Mousse with Citrus Fruit Topping

Ingredients to make a mastiha mousse

200g (7 oz) white chocolate

100 g (3.5 oz) heavy cream

2 egg yolks

4 egg whites

4 drops mastic essence

1 orange, peeled & sliced thinly

1 lemon, peeled & sliced thinly

1 grapefruit, peeled & sliced thinly

How to make a mastiha mousse

To make a mastic mousse, place the white chocolate, cream and two egg yolks in a bain-marie (double boiler) and stir until the mixture reaches 140ºF. It should become warm but not hot. Remove from the heat and leave it to cool at room temperature until it reaches 80ºF.

In the meantime, beat the egg whites to make a very stiff meringue. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without anything dripping out!

Fold the meringue into the to the white chocolate mix with light, circular motions. Add the drops mastic essence on top and refrigerate covered for 24 hours.

When you're ready to serve (at least 24 hours later!) spoon into dessert glasses or bowls and garnish with the fresh fruit slices. Another ideal garnish for this dessert is a spoonful of one of our Citrus spoon sweets - it will be just as delish!

Mastic of Chios or mastic tears

Chios Mastiha is a natural sap from the mastic tree, scientifically known as Pistacia Lentiscus. This evergreen shrub grows slowly and reaches maturity after 40-50 years, achieving a height of up to 5 meters tall. Mastic trees are found in many Mediterranean countries, but only in the south part of Chios do the micro-climate and traditional cultivation techniques result in the unique resin. This resinous sap comes in teardrop shapes and is extracted from superficial scratches carved by mastic-growers directly on the trunk of the tree. The process is long and laborious and takes place in the months of July and August.

Mastic’s aromatic properties have made it a much sought after product in the Mediterranean and Middle East for over 2500 years. Mastic also has been used traditionally as a natural remedy for digestive disorders and oral hygiene. More and more research proves its antioxidant, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.

You can find more about Chios Mastiha at the Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association website.