Comfort Food the Naxian Way
Season 2 Episode 206 | 26m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
Chef Maria Loi embraces the local cuisine and flavors to create a true Naxian feast.
This week, Chef Maria Loi heads to the crown jewel of the Cycladic islands, Naxos. Maria embraces the amazing local cuisine of the island to create a true Naxian feast with local chef, Yiannis Ikonomou. Together, they make a delicious Chicken Pie and Grilled Tuna Filet with Potato Salad. Back in New York, Chef Loi serves up some Naxian-inspired comfort foods.
The Life of Loi: Mediterranean Secrets is presented by your local public television station.
Distributed nationally by American Public Television
Comfort Food the Naxian Way
Season 2 Episode 206 | 26m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
This week, Chef Maria Loi heads to the crown jewel of the Cycladic islands, Naxos. Maria embraces the amazing local cuisine of the island to create a true Naxian feast with local chef, Yiannis Ikonomou. Together, they make a delicious Chicken Pie and Grilled Tuna Filet with Potato Salad. Back in New York, Chef Loi serves up some Naxian-inspired comfort foods.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> MARIA LOI: Yassou!
There is so much culture to explore in Naxos: many artisanal crafts and small but precious museums.
The land in Naxos, it's so fruitful, and the sea full of bounty.
I mean, my favorite fish.
It's no wonder people have been here for thousands of years.
Let me show you.
It's all happening now on The Life of 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, the Greek National Tourism Organization, Enterprise Greece.
Additional funding is provided by: >> LOI: Naxos is an incredible place full of history.
Well, Greece is full of history, but there is one village in particular, Apeiranthos, with a different feeling, different architecture, even a different dialect.
All influenced by the culture of Crete.
And Chef Yiannis Ikonomou comes from there.
I am going to be cooking with him at the Naxian Collection.
Bravo!
Come with me-- páme!
♪ ♪ When young people show you how to make a chicken pie, I love it.
I am here with Chef Yiannis.
Yes, you are a chef.
He says, "I am not a chef"-- you are a chef, because you're doing everything here.
We're in Naxos.
It's one of my favorite islands in the world.
(speaking Greek): I have to speak Greek with Yiannis.
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Peteinópita-- it's a rooster pie.
So now what you do?
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: No fat, he said, in there.
>> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Just clean meat.
He has boiled a rooster.
(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): One hour plus.
If it's a chicken, I think three-quarters of an hour.
Can I help you?
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (laughs) He loves the way I cut the onion.
(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): (both speaking Greek) >> LOI: I love zucchini-- they are super-healthy for you.
It's very fresh.
>> (speaking Greek): (both chuckle) >> LOI: Those beautiful colors.
Okay.
(sniffs): Mm.
Don't add more, because this garlic has a strong smell.
(sizzling) >> (speaking Greek) >> LOI (speaking Greek) >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (exclaims) >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: The chicken broth is very good, you know?
Wintertime?
The best.
You can make it with milk, but I think with the chicken broth, it's the real deal.
Bravo.
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Fresh oregano.
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: I always use dry oregano.
(sniffs): But it does smell good.
(both speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Graviera Naxou-- it's one of the best cheese.
It's a bit salty, that's why he didn't put a lot of salt.
Do you have a pan?
(both speaking Greek) >> LOI: Okay?
Enough?
>> Enough.
(speaking Greek) >> LOI: This pie is very easy, guys.
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay!
(speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek) >> LOI: Okay.
Bravo.
I like that he does like the grandma, right?
(speaking Greek): Do you have enough olive oil here, or you want more?
No?
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.
(laughs) >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: There's never enough.
♪ ♪ >> (speaking Greek) >> LOI (chuckles): I was going to.
So they can stick together.
I love this pie.
You will love it, too.
>> (speaking Greek): (both speaking Greek) >> LOI: Okay.
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay, no more olive oil yet.
(laughs) We need only 45 minutes.
In the meantime, I'm going to eat some cheese.
Yassou.
And now, the best chicken pie.
(speaking Greek) Mm.
Okay.
It smells so good.
(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: The phyllo is very crispy.
♪ ♪ You want to try?
I'll make something similar for you.
Yassou!
It's the oven, it's the broth, it's you, that you make that.
(speaking Greek): >> (responds in Greek) >> LOI: You should make this.
Be good-- yassou!
♪ ♪ That peteinópita Chef Ikonomou made was so crispy and moist, with such unique flavor.
I want to make a kotopita, chicken pie, for you, using leftovers.
With me today is my new friend.
We met on the boat to Naxos.
Krista Meyers.
>> Thank you.
>> LOI: Thank you, really.
We said that you're coming here, and you are.
>> Yeah, I know, I can't believe it.
>> LOI: We have here the leftovers of this chicken.
It was a rotisserie chicken.
>> Uh-huh.
The magic ingredient.
>> LOI: Olive oil makes life taste better.
>> Yes.
>> LOI: And then, we have some vegetables.
Take your scissor.
You go like this.
>> Now, that's easy chopping.
>> LOI: Isn't it?
Onion, carrots, whatever you have-- celery.
The only thing that I would like you to add, it's onions, because it gives that sweet taste.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> LOI: Do you cook?
>> I do, I love to cook, and I love to eat.
>> LOI: How about your husband?
>> He loves to eat.
(both laugh) >> LOI: Okay.
You see, you mix it in here.
>> All right.
>> LOI: Like that.
And I have my grandma's spoon here.
Look at this.
>> That's grandma.
>> LOI: Yeah.
>> I like it.
>> LOI: Yep.
And mix it, and then, Yogurt.
>> Big surprise.
(both laugh) >> LOI: I put here, and then we'll put it on the top, as well.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: I will add some salt.
>> Is that sea salt or kosher salt?
Sea salt, I'm assuming.
>> LOI: Sea salt from Missolonghi.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: It's so beautiful over there, the salt lakes.
And it's very close to where I grew up.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: And this fresh pepper, we just... What about, because it's a bit dry.
Okay?
>> Of course.
>> LOI: We'll put more olive oil.
(chuckles) And mix it again, and then I have vegetable stock there.
>> That looks good.
>> LOI: You can even eat it like this.
>> Uh-huh.
(laughs) That was what was running through my head.
(both laugh) >> LOI: Now you, you add some.
That's... >> Tell me where to stop.
>> LOI: Put some more.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: Okay, that's enough, thank you.
We do this, lemon zest.
>> Zesting.
>> LOI: You know why?
>> I think it's because it brightens it.
It brightens the flavors.
>> LOI: I love this girl.
She knows how to cook.
>> Yes, I love to cook.
>> LOI (sniffs): Oh.
>> Oh, that smells so good.
>> LOI: I think that's enough.
Make more juice, hm?
>> Okay.
>> LOI: And this what we have to do.
We have to put it here.
>> Catch the seeds.
>> LOI: Yes, okay?
There's no seeds, it's okay.
That's enough.
Mix it again.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: So, Felipe.
>> Yes, Chef?
>> LOI: Could I have that pan, please, that we make-- thank you, thank you.
See?
It's so easy to make this.
It's just, how do you call it?
Springform?
>> Springform pan?
Yes.
>> LOI: I knew it.
(laughs) And then I make here, we have the phyllo.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: This is for pies.
So olive oil, of course.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> LOI: We add here the phyllo.
Don't mind if it breaks.
>> Yeah.
>> LOI: Another layer over here.
>> Okay.
You go like this on the other side now.
>> All right, so you're getting it all around.
>> LOI: Yeah, that's it.
>> Good.
>> LOI: We add this in here.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: It's perfect.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: Yep-- I'm not going to add another phyllo.
But I will show you something else.
I have a bowl here.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: Yogurt again.
>> Of course.
>> LOI: Anthotyro.
>> Is that what this is?
>> LOI: Anthotyro is a Greek cheese, you know, that comes from, yeah, goat and sheep, you know, from Crete?
Maybe you don't find-- get ricotta.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: That's it.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: Mix it, mix it, mix it.
And then in order to dilute a bit... >> Mm-hmm.
>> LOI: ...we add a bit of olive oil.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: Here.
>> I love this combination.
Oh, gosh.
>> LOI: And then you put it on the top.
And we are going to bake this-- not we.
Felipe is going to bake this for us.
375, and it's going to be 45 minutes.
We need the phyllo to be cooked, because the rest is cooked.
We take the scissor, okay?
And we cut it like this.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: It is so easy.
>> Yes.
>> LOI: And some more olive oil, of course.
Felipe?
>> Yes, Chef?
>> LOI: Could you please come and take this and bake it?
>> Sure, all right.
>> LOI: Thank you.
I see that you have that ready.
Oh, look at this.
>> Oh, that looks wonderful.
It looks too pretty to cut, actually.
But then I wouldn't get to taste it.
>> LOI: Isn't it great?
>> It is.
It really is.
>> LOI: Let's try it.
>> Two?
Two.
Two, two.
>> LOI: Two, two!
(both laugh) >> Okay!
All right.
Me first?
>> LOI: Of course, you're my guest.
>> All right.
(laughs) Okay, that's really, really good.
(inhales): Mm.
Can I go in for another bite?
>> LOI: And the vegetables.
You can have the whole thing.
And the vegetables, you know, they're very good.
>> Mm-hmm.
That is really good, Maria.
>> LOI: And tasty.
>> Yes.
I mean, it truly is comfort food.
It really is.
>> LOI: Yeah, it is.
Let's go back to Naxos, where Chef Ikonomou broke down a huge wild tuna to cook for our Naxian feast.
Páme!
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Who doesn't love potatoes, especially the potatoes from Naxos?
We have Yiannis here.
>> LOI: Yassou!
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: So what do we have here?
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Onion, garlic... >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: How long did you boil the potatoes?
>> Eh, about 30 minute.
>> LOI: (speaking Greek) (both laugh) He speaks English, I speak Greek.
You want more, or not?
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): (chuckles) A bit more?
(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Hm.
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Bravo.
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI: Okay.
(both speaking Greek) (both speaking Greek) See?
He knows.
It's, they say that they, they don't badmouth you.
We're not afraid.
>> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): It's okay.
(sniffs): Oh, wow.
(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek): But not too much, eh?
Mix it or not?
(both speaking Greek) >> LOI (speaking Greek): (both speaking Greek) >> LOI: (chuckles) >> LOI: Why don't you grill some tuna fish?
>> Yes, of course.
♪ ♪ (meows) >> (speaking Greek) Of course.
>> LOI: (chuckles) >> LOI (speaking Greek) Tuna from the Aegean with olive oil.
Let's go, Yiannis.
♪ ♪ (sizzling) Here, Yiannis.
>> Thank you.
>> LOI: You're welcome.
♪ ♪ Lemon juice.
He will need it.
You are the master.
(speaking Greek): >> (speaking Greek): >> LOI (speaking Greek) And it's ready to go to the table.
How's that?
Eh?
>> It's perfect.
>> LOI (speaking Greek): And you come with us-- we invite you to our dinner.
(music playing in background) >> LOI: Opa!
>> Opa!
(glass clinks) >> LOI: Do you know who this man is?
He is the governor of Naxos.
He's so smart, he's so nice, huh?
So you want to say something?
>> Welcome, everybody.
We're very happy to have you here, and you are mostly welcome to come again next year.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Enjoy, enjoy your stay.
>> LOI: That's good, now he has to go-- go!
(laughing) (speaking Greek): (song playing) Opa!
Whoo!
(clapping along to music) ♪ ♪ That tuna, you can't imagine how delicious it was.
Sharing it with all my new friends was even better, because sharing is caring.
Inspired by that fantastic meal, I invited my new friend, David Meyers, to make a recipe like his mother used to make.
Right, David?
>> Yes.
I was raised by a single mother, I'm an only child.
>> LOI: Oh.
>> And I can remember every week having this recipe.
>> LOI: It's so easy what we're going to do.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: We don't have that tuna, but we have the other tuna, which is in the can, but make sure that it's with olive oil or water, not other oils, huh?
Because other oils, for me, doesn't work.
Then we'll put it here.
>> And you'll learn that I know nothing about cooking.
My specialty is washing dishes afterwards.
>> LOI (laughing): But now you're going to learn.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: And you'll say, "Hey, I'm going to make that every week."
And invite friends.
>> Right.
>> LOI: Felipe made these potatoes for me.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: Just in the oven.
Less than 30 minutes.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> LOI: Then he put eggplant, but also just cut it very small.
>> Mm-hmm.
And its healthy properties.
>> LOI: Oh, yes.
>> Yeah.
So what are we putting in now?
>> LOI: What is this?
What do you think is that?
>> Uh, yogurt.
>> LOI (laughs): You got it.
>> Thank you.
>> LOI: Okay.
I think even if you do it like this, could be good.
>> Yes.
>> LOI: And then anthotyro, but you can have ricotta.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: We'll mix it.
And I'm now going to use my grandma's spoon.
>> Spoon.
>> LOI: Okay.
See, it's like, it's, see how nice it is?
>> Yes.
How old is this spoon?
>> LOI: Oh, older than... 85, 90 years old, the spoon.
>> Wow.
>> LOI: Yep.
>> Well-seasoned.
>> LOI: Mix it.
Now we're going to add olive oil.
>> So far, so good.
>> LOI: Two... >> Mm-hmm.
>> LOI: It's two tablespoons.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: One more is three tablespoons.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: And mix it again.
>> What I notice is the difference from the way my mother did it, but this looks better, is that she had noodles.
>> LOI: Don't worry.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: Wait.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: Some salt.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: Pepper, good.
>> Mm-hmm.
And if you see that it's a bit dry... >> More olive oil.
>> LOI: And now you said about pasta.
>> Yeah.
Okay.
>> LOI: My beautiful orzo.
>> Yes.
>> LOI: We mix it.
And you can add more if you want.
Depends what you like, okay?
>> Mm-hmm.
>> The lemon.
>> LOI: To brighten up.
>> Yes.
>> LOI: Do you like lemon?
>> I love lemon.
>> LOI: And is full of antioxidants.
>> I love the smell of it, everything.
>> LOI: So we put here another, because I don't want all the seeds to go in there.
And now... >> The zest.
>> LOI: Yes.
And here we are.
Ready to go to the oven.
>> Already?
>> LOI: Of course.
♪ ♪ Of course, olive oil, huh?
>> I think we know that by now.
>> LOI: Grab that cornmeal.
>> Sure.
>> LOI: It gives body and it holds it, is what.
You can have it just like that, but it's better with cornmeal.
So let's put it here.
>> And you promise you're going to send me the recipe after this.
>> LOI: Immediately.
>> Thank you.
>> LOI: But, no, you have to write the recipe and send me to see what you remember.
>> Oh, my gosh.
>> LOI: Just say olive oil.
>> Olive oil.
>> LOI: That's all.
>> Ah, much more.
>> LOI: No, olive oil is never enough.
>> More is better.
>> LOI: I put some more here.
Felipe cooked it in preheated oven.
375 for 15, 20 minutes.
>> Okay.
Sounds good.
>> LOI: Everything is cooked.
>> Cooked.
>> LOI: Felipe, can I have the ready ones, please?
>> LOI: Thank you.
>> Oh, my.
>> LOI: Ready?
Careful, because it's hot.
>> LOI: It's okay.
>> Okay, okay.
>> Utensils?
>> LOI: Yes.
>> Thank you, oops-- oh, okay, see if I can do this.
Ready?
Okay.
>> LOI: That's it.
>> We can try it again.
>> LOI: You see?
It's crispy, and wow.
>> Yes.
>> Mm.
This is excellent.
>> LOI: And it's a bit lemony, right?
>> Wow, yes.
Mm, so many flavors.
The tuna is very subtle.
>> LOI: Mm.
>> Tastes a little bit of the yogurt, even.
Cornmeal, clearly.
I prefer the orzo over the noodles my mother used to use.
So this is quite an improvement.
So thank you, Maria.
>> LOI: Thank you for saying such nice things.
And now... >> What are we going to do with these, Maria?
>> LOI: Olive oil.
>> Ah.
I've never done this, but I'll do it for you.
>> LOI: No, you're doing it for you.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: For your health.
>> Okay.
>> LOI: Yassou.
>> Yassou.
>> LOI: And yassou.
Remember, metron ariston.
Everything in moderation except love, olive oil, and good deeds.
Yassou!
♪ ♪ >> Closed captioning provided by Genetic Networks.
Funding for this program is provided by the Behrakis Family, the Greek National Tourism Organization, Enterprise Greece.
Additional funding is provided by: ♪ ♪
The Life of Loi: Mediterranean Secrets is presented by your local public television station.
Distributed nationally by American Public Television