Recipes

Mastiha liqueur replaces white wine in this otherwise typical Provencal dish.

Fish baked in paper is a technique much loved from Greece to Spain.

There are certain Greek classics I wanted to include in a book about Mastiha. Dolmades the savory stuffed grape leaves that have become synonymous with Greek cuisine, are presented in a slightly modern version below, wrapped around the quintessential Mediterranean sardine and served with a Mastiha-flavored tomato sauce.

The salsa is what gives this easy fish dish its punch. You may serve the salsa with grilled or poached salmon, perch, fresh halibut or cod and more.

The idea of marrying one of Greece’s most ancient spices to dishes from other parts of the Mediterranean is at the heart of this book.

Here’s a take on the classic Saganaki, taverna fare from Athens to Adelaide, finished here with a decidedly nontraditional touch: Mastiha, of course.

The secret to this velvety winter soup is in the garnish, a line or two of Mastiha-scented olive oil drawn through the soup to counter its richness with the lightly astringent scent of the spice.

Tomatoes and Mastiha were a surprise discovery for me, after I sampled Mastiha-flavored tomato sauce from mastihashop and was immediately won over by the easy pairing of the two. I borrow the idea below in this lovely, simple summer soup. Use the best vine-ripened fresh tomatoes.

Salmon roe or even caviar paired with cream of cauliflower make for one of the most intoxicating combinations of flavors, balanced subtly by the Mastiha Scented Olive oil, which is used as a garnish just before serving.

I have a special affinity for Mastiha, feta, and roasted red peppers. This soup essentially evolved out of one of my all-time favorite Greek dishes, a spicy whipped feta and pepper dip. Here, the quantities are reversed, the peppers in much greater quantities than the cheese.

Here’s an all-time classic replete with soft, bobbing bocconcini balls and grecophied with the artful use of Greece’s most beguiling spice.

This dish takes its cue from a classic Greek taverna shrimp dish.