♪ ♪ >> MARIA LOI: I am Maria Loi, executive chef of Loi Estiatorio in Manhattan.

When I was growing up in Thermo, a small village in Greece, food was a way of life-- good for your body, good for your soul.

The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest in the world, and I have seen how it can truly change people's lives, like it changed mine.

And since then, my life has been all about the Mediterranean diet.

Today, we are going to share some of the delicious secrets that you can make part of your own lives at home.

So come with me right now, on The Life of Loi.

>> Funding for this program is provided by the Behrakis Family.

Additional funding is provided by the Greek National Tourism Organisation.

>> LOI: Let's visit the largest island of Greece.

Do you know which island that is?

Crete.

I bask in all its culinary glory.

As I cook and eat my way through the island, it nourishes me with what I can only call an ode to herbs.

In Crete, we learn the traditional way to make dolmades.

But I wanted to play with Felipe in the kitchen today.

So we came up with this Greek sushi.

I love playing with traditions, and I hope you do too.

Inspired by the roasted branzino overflowing with greens that we made in Greece, here, I make it a bit easier for you at home.

A filet of Greek stone bass is filled with a healthy mix of fresh greens and rolled into a tasty dinner.

Just ask my friend, Oyvind.

He agrees.

>> It's amazing.

>> LOI: Come and explore the magic of Crete with me.

Páme!

♪ ♪ I see Poppy, a chef who specializes in traditional Cretan recipes already making something that will definitely surprise us.

(conversing in Greek) >> LOI (laughing): I'm not leaving her alone, you know we love Poppy.

>> Oh, I love you, too.

>> LOI: So what are you doing here, Poppy?

>> So here we make the dolmadakia.

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

>> It's the vine leaves... >> LOI: Okay.

>> That we boiled before, and... >> LOI: How long do you boil them?

>> I just blanch it, because if you overcook it, after, you cannot...

It will be like this one.

>> LOI: What is in there?

>> Inside the stuffing, we put rice, dry onion... Then we have the carrot.

We put also the zucchini.

Spring onions.

>> LOI: Mm.

>> Fine chopped.

Then we start with... >> LOI: Parsley, you put parsley in there?

>> Yes, yes.

The dill.

>> LOI: The dill, I love dill in the dolmadakia.

>> I love... >> LOI: I love dill.

And also the meat is very nice... >> LOI: Mm-hmm, yeah.

>> When you put it a lot.

That's why we put the dry one also.

And then we put pepper, cumin, tomato, olive oil...

Lemon juice.

>> LOI: Okay, uh-huh.

>> And salt.

>> LOI: Salt.

>> Salt that we go with Chef Baxevanis and collect from the sea.

See?

Amazing.

>> LOI: Of course.

And it's really good, that salt.

>> Come try it, yes.

>> LOI: Yeah.

Mm.

>> Mm?

>> LOI: And you don't need a lot.

>> Oh no, no.

♪ ♪ >> LOI: Let's continue, I don't want to bother you.

>> After that, we opened these vine leaves.

There is two sides.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> This is the good one that we want it to be on top.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> So we make it like this.

We put the rice... And I start to... >> LOI: Which way?

That's what... >> This is the way that I'm making.

>> LOI: Oh.

>> And I roll it.

>> LOI: That's really easy.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: Let me make one.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: Okay, so you said you're doing this, okay.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: All the way.

Okay?

And that way as well?

>> Yes.

>> LOI: Like this, right?

>> Yeah, exactly.

>> LOI: You put your fingers like this, right?

>> Yes, exactly.

>> LOI: And that's it.

Oh, it's so beautiful.

(laughing): Do we have to... to boil those?

>> Hm... >> LOI: I can't wait.

(laughing): It's only the rice.

You can try it, yeah.

>> LOI: You know?

I have to try it.

>> This is a great sushi.

>> LOI: Do you mind?

Exactly, like sushi, yeah.

>> Great as sushi, yeah.

>> LOI: Mm... >> It's amazing.

>> LOI: You know what?

I don't need to boil it.

>> (laughing): So don't need to boil.

>> LOI: No, it will do.

>> (laughing): We make sushi.

>> LOI: It's so beautiful.

It's so tasty.

Vibrant, because it's full of herbs.

>> (speaking Greek): ♪ ♪ >> LOI: This recipe, it's so beautiful and so tasty.

So, I'm going to show your recipe everywhere in the world.

>> You have to.

>> LOI: Okay?

So this way people, they will see how we cook in Crete.

>> In Crete, yes.

>> LOI: And especially Poppy's recipes.

>> Oh.

>> LOI: Okay.

♪ ♪ >> LOI: I brought the magic of Crete back to my kitchen.

Felipe has magical hands.

He can do the best sushi dolmadakia.

Let's start, Felipe.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: But I want you to do another, you know, like this cucumber, please, because I want them to see that.

>> Yes, chef.

>> LOI: Can you do it?

>> Yes.

>> LOI: But slowly.

He's going to give us the secret.

Okay.

Be careful, don't try... this at home like this because it might be dangerous, you know, with a very sharp knife.

Is that Japanese or Mexican way?

>> This is Japanese with... >> LOI: Mexican.

>> Mexican love.

(chuckles) >> LOI: Okay.

So here we have Japanese style, we have Mexican style, and then we have Greek style.

Okay, let's start, Felipe.

What do you want?

>> I need grape leaf first.

>> LOI: Okay, let's do the grape leaves.

You cooked them?

>> Yes, before I... >> LOI: All right.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: And you put the shiny part up or down?

>> Yes.

Up.

Because when I stick, they need to stick.

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

Yeah, okay.

>> Cucumbers.

>> Okay, I'm going to start with the rice.

>> LOI: Okay, yeah.

>> Okay.

>> All right.

>> LOI: Okay.

Lentils.

>> Lentils.

>> LOI: These lentils.

You know, lentils have iron.

And the rice helps your body to absorb it.

>> Red peppers.

>> LOI: Red pepper, mm-hmm.

I love red peppers.

>> Some cucumbers again.

>> LOI: And then carrots.

>> Carrots.

>> LOI: And everything is fresh.

>> Everything is fresh.

>> LOI: Except rice and lentils, they are cooked.

>> Yeah, they are cooked.

>> LOI: Also, the grape leaves.

>> Yeah, grape leaves cooked.

>> LOI: How long did you cook them?

>> I cook for around one hour.

>> LOI: One hour?

>> Make it soft and easy to eat.

Now I'm rolling.

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

>> Okay, and then grape leaves.

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

Wow, Felipe.

This is great.

Now you made this.

What don't I try like Greek style?

Not with a cucumber.

So... Don't give me the half, okay?

Give me the good grape leaves.

These are good.

These grape leaves came from Crete.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: And you put four?

>> Yeah, two, four.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> Depends.

>> LOI: Okay, let's do that.

>> Grape leaves, very good.

Tasty.

>> LOI: Yes, they're very tasty.

To make it a bit more Greek, I'm going to add some olive oil.

(chuckles) And now it's a sticky rice.

(laughs) >> Okay.

>> LOI: It's enough or you're adding more?

>> It's enough.

>> LOI: It's enough.

>> It's enough.

>> LOI: Just a touch here.

Come on.

You want to make it better than mine, right?

That's why you're doing that.

(both laugh) And now the lentils?

>> Yes, chef.

>> LOI: Okay.

So good, this one.

So healthy.

Next?

>> Red pepper.

>> LOI: Red peppers, okay.

How many?

>> Four or three.

>> LOI: I can put five, because I love red peppers.

>> (chuckles) Cucumbers.

>> LOI: Cucumber, okay.

It gives a freshness over there, the cucumber.

Also, it's crunchy with all those red peppers.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: You know, the cucumber... >> Carrots.

>> LOI: And carrots?

>> Yes.

>> LOI: Full of vitamins.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> Rolling.

>> LOI: You're rolling?

Okay.

You don't need the cucumber.

Do it the Greek style.

(laughs) >> To make it better than me.

(laughs) >> LOI: Oh, come on.

No.

>> Okay, now... >> LOI: Okay, let's take... put it on a plate.

Okay?

>> Five pieces.

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

You can put yours on one side and I'll put mine on the other side.

>> Sure.

>> LOI (fake whispering): It's going to look better.

It's the best appetizer.

But not only appetizer, could be a lunch.

You want to cut this too?

>> Sure.

>> LOI: Okay.

And mine.

You want me to feel good, that's why.

So good.

We're so proud of us because we live this way.

We love each other.

We are family here.

Felipe, should I put some lemon juice?

>> Yes.

If you need some lemon and olive oil.

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

I put... Smart, huh?

No salt, right?

>> No salt.

>> LOI: We don't need salt.

>> You don't need salt.

>> LOI: But what about my olive oil?

>> (chuckling): Yes.

>> LOI: I can't live without it.

(singsong): And this is a Greek sushi.

You know what?

Let's cheers to that.

>> Sure, sure.

>> LOI: Here.

Yassou.

>> Yassou.

To your health.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm here with my friend, the best chef for Greek cooking.

He's actually specialized in the Cretan diet.

And that's why we're here today, to make something very different for you.

Because usually, you know, you're used to have like, just a grilled fish.

Giannis, today, he will show us how to actually put it in the oven with a lot of herbs and vegetables.

(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): So, what kind of fish do we have today?

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: The lavraki it's a branzino, that we have in the States.

That's how we call it.

I don't know why, branzino.

Lavraki is a beautiful name.

♪ ♪ He's going to remove the bone, and instead of the bones, he's going to fill it up with a lot of vegetables.

♪ ♪ >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Don't leave any bone over there, eh.

Giannis, use your glasses.

(Loi laughs) ♪ ♪ When the fish is fresh, it's not easy to debone it.

Bravo, Giannis.

He's a specialist.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Good.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Me too.

Every season, Mother Earth is giving us many, many different greens.

This is amaranth, right?

Vlita is one of my favorite greens.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Onion.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Mm-hmm.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Leeks.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: But this is not the same, the fennel that we have.

>> (speaking Greek) ... marathos, Greek fennel.

>> LOI: This is Greek-- bravo!

You speak English, Giannis?

>> (laughs) >> LOI: Come on, come on, you know.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Lemon verbena, yeah.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Sés... Séskoulo is Swiss chard, we call it.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> LOI: And spanaki.

>> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Oh, the red spinach... Oh my God, it's so beautiful.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: All these greens, since the ancient years, they use it for medicine.

Because food is medicine.

How are you doing this?

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Tsigariso, sotároume, we sotárou.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: And leeks.

Not very thin, eh?

>> Not very thin.

(speaking Greek): >> LOI: Like, like in the village.

(Loi speaking Greek) The Swiss chard.

The green spinach.

>> (speaking Greek): >> Kókkino spanáki.

>> LOI: And the red spinach.

>> (speaking Greek): (inhales deeply) It's so beautiful.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: From the other greens, we are like the sour greens, we get all the sour taste.

And also the verbena is like the lemon zest.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Greek fennel.

>> (speaking Greek): (oil sizzling) (inhales) >> LOI (speaking Greek): Alati kai pipéri.

Salt... And pepper.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: It's not only healthy, it's tasty as well.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: There's no Greek cuisine, you know, if you don't have lemon and olive oil.

♪ ♪ >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Fennel seeds.

>> (speaking Greek): ♪ ♪ >> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Olive oil, lemon juice.

And... >> Ouzo!

>> LOI: Excuse me, I have to check if it's good.

>> (chuckles) (inhales, exhales deeply) >> Mytilini.

>> LOI: You don't have to tell me, I know.

I'm an expert in ouzo, okay?

(inhales deeply) It is from Mytilini.

>> Mytilini.

>> LOI: It is.

>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: It is.

(laughter) Which village?

I don't know, but I know the ouzo from Mytilini is the best.

>> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: A lot of ouzo.

The fish is going to be drunk.

(laughs) >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: And we'll leave it in there 18 to 20 minutes and we'll be good.

♪ ♪ Bravo, Giannis.

Thank you.

♪ ♪ I was so inspired to make the same recipe, like Baxevanis did in Crete.

We have one of the best fish in the world here, kranios-- the Greek stone bass.

And I have my friend here, Oyvind, I cannot pronounce his name, you know, even after five years, Oyvind, but I call him Ogilvy.

(laughter) Who is an expert for sustainability and omega-3s and many other things.

But I want you to speak about my fish.

You see this?

We made the filet of kranios, actually.

Oh see, it doesn't smell anything because it's fresh.

I always say when you get your fish, smell it.

If it smells fishy, don't eat it.

(inhales) It's great.

So Oyvind, do you prefer the fish that goes around my house in Greece, you know, in front of my house by the sea, or farmed fish?

>> I do prefer farmed fish hands down over wild fish.

With many wild fish, we have not the same control over what they eat as you do in the ocean.

So you can be sure that the fish has great quality and has all the nutrients because it's in the feed of the fish.

>> LOI: Okay, you see how I cut my scallions here?

I cut them julienne.

Okay, that's how the French, they say julienne.

And then you add a lot of dill because it adds this, you know, subtle touch of grassy flavor to every dish I use.

>> So the dill is one more thing actually we had in common.

I didn't realize it, because this for me is the smell of childhood.

When I was growing up, my mom put this always onto the fish.

I'm so happy to see it here.

>> LOI: Excuse me, he's from Norway.

>> Yes.

And I grew up eating a lot of fish.

>> LOI: So we added already scallions, dill, spinach, and... Oh, something that I love.

You know from where these red peppers come from?

From Florina.

>> Florina.

>> LOI: Yeah, Florina is up in north Greece.

>> Yeah, this is hands down, you said it, the best fish in the world.

And I, I am a strong believer because of the omega-3 levels is you find no other lean white fish the same levels.

It's actually at the level of a salmon.

It isn't such a fatty fish.

So this has a much leaner, nicer way of cooking and also eating.

So I'm very excited about this fish.

>> LOI: We can eat it every day, right?

>> Exactly.

>> LOI: Good.

Remember, kranios, you can eat it every day.

And it comes from Greece, from the Greek Sea.

See how easy it is?

Just put the vegetables that you like.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: And then you roll it up.

But before that, I will add my favorite ingredient.

>> I know, the olive oil.

And not just any.

(Loi chuckles) >> LOI: So, some pepper and some sea salt from Greece.

We keep that for good luck.

>> Ah.

You throw it?

>> LOI: You go like this.

Bop.

So let's roll it up.

It's a lot of vegetables, right?

>> Yeah, so many nice greens.

It looks amazing already.

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

Okay.

And now with some lemon.

>> Yeah, the one great thing about this recipe I'm realizing is that you can actually use frozen fish for this.

And frozen is better than fresh when it is fresh-frozen.

When you pull the fish right out of the sea and freeze it right away and it's frozen all the way to your home, then that's better than the fresh fish that you get in the supermarket.

>> LOI: This is going to be great, okay.

Can you give it to Felipe?

>> Yeah, I will do that.

Thank you.

Felipe.

>> LOI: Eight to nine minutes, 350 or 375, remember.

And then we'll eat it.

Felipe, you made that, right?

>> Yes, I have one ready.

>> I'll, I'll take it.

Thank you, Felipe.

Ah, look at that.

>> LOI: That's nice, huh?

And, you see, they are not really cooked, the vegetables.

>> Oh, it smells so delicious.

>> LOI: It does.

I'll tell you what I want.

I want some more olive oil.

And Felipe, do you have that vinegar that I love?

>> Yes, chef.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> What are you doing?

(Loi laughs) What I do every morning.

>> Do you know at home we do this with fish oil.

My son, I have to take it first and then... otherwise he wouldn't do it.

But now it's become a ritual.

So you have the same with olive oil?

>> LOI: Yes, every day.

>> Wow.

>> LOI: But I have to admit that my father was giving us mourounelio, that was, you know, the fish oil.

It was... it had the smell and I was going like that.

My nose... take the oil.

Cut.

>> The fresh fish oil, when it's properly stored, is not fishy at all.

And we have a hint of lemon in it.

>> LOI: Did you hear that, Greece?

Fish oil from Norway.

Who knew it?

Okay.

So let me show you this vinegar.

It's from grape, not just red wine vinegar, okay?

And that, with a lemon, gives amazing taste.

I always like to dress this kind of fish.

So, yassou.

skål.

>> Skål.

>> LOI: And now we can eat.

>> Thank you.

Yassou, yassou, yassou, skål.

>> Skål.

(Loi chuckles) >> LOI: Let's see.

See, it's so flaky, huh?

>> Yeah, falls apart.

You can make the same recipe with any fish that you like.

Just filet of fish.

Go ahead.

(Loi chuckles) >> Okay.

You like the scallions, huh?

>> Mmm.

>> LOI: And you said that you like the dill.

>> Mmm.

>> LOI: You have to get some dill.

Oh!

>> LOI: That is crunchy.

>> You know what?

This is so tasty.

You know, it's amazing.

It's crunchy.

The crunchy vegetables.

It's flaky.

It's really succulent.

I really love it.

So good.

>> LOI: It hits all the spots, as they say here in the States.

(laughs) >> Yes.

Yes.

And the dill and the vinegar and the lemon and everything is in there.

I can feel it.

>> LOI: It's good.

Yeah.

>> This is so good, you know, I'm going to make this when I get home.

It was so easy, so tasty.

>> LOI: Thank you.

And you know what?

Thank you for your tip about the fish oil through Norway.

Now we know, right?

Yassou!

♪ ♪ >> Funding for this program is provided by the Behrakis Family.

Additional funding is provided by the Greek National Tourism Organisation.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪