Epicurean Odyssey with Alex Tsiotinis

Alex Tsiotinis, the celebrated Executive Chef of Mr E Restaurant at Istoria & Parīlio, shares his most beloved recipes, inspired by the islands’ natural bounty and culinary traditions. Follow his steps and create at home emblematic dishes of the Cycladic gastronomic legacy.

Paros and Santorini are places that smell tradition. The colors, the aromas, but also the people; here you think that they have stopped time to stay loyal to something real – sometimes old, sometimes subversive. This is my source of inspiration for Mr. E, the creation of a menu that will transform tradition into something fresher and more inventive, but above all, real, just like the essence of our cuisine.

Risotto ratatouille with fresh oregano and feta cheese

Method

First, peel the onion, wash it, cut it in half, and then into cubes.

Peel the garlic and cut it into thin slices.

Wash the zucchini, eggplant and pepper and cut them into cubes.

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and lightly sauté the rice. Once the grains of rice start to become clear, add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the vegetables and sauté for another 2 minutes.

Pour into the wine and leave on the fire until almost all the wine has evaporated.
Add 100ml of the broth (about 1/3) and cook, stirring constantly so that the starch comes out of the rice and does not stick to the pot.

Once the broth has evaporated, continue with another 100ml, following the same process. And again with the last 100ml of the broth.

As the rice needs around 20 minutes of cooking, taste it at round 18 minutes and if it is almost ready, lower the heat, add the tomato paste, the butter, the parmesan and the oregano.

The risotto is better tasted immediately, if it cools and tightens, dilute it with a little bit of water and reheat it.

Tart with fava from Santorini, poached egg, Greek truffle and chutney ‘’spetsofai’’

Method for the fava (for 10 servings)

Sauté the onion and the carrot, add the fava beans and the bay leaf. 

Quench with the liquids and simmer until the liquids drink and boil. 

Mix in the blender together with the raw olive oil and add the tomato paste and garlic. Add in the salt and pepper

Method for the egg 

Cook the eggs in salted water together with a little white vinegar for about 3 minutes, so that the outside is hard but the yolk remains fluid

Method for the ‘’spetsofai’’ chutney (for 10 servings)

Cut the onion and garlic into thin slices and sauté them in olive oil, add the red peppers, sausage and thyme. Sauté for 5-6 minutes and quench with 3 tsp of vinegar. 

As soon as it starts boiling, remove from the heat. 

Correct the taste with salt and pepper and serve with sliced Greek truffle.