There's a new belly in town

Michael Psilakis | Anthos

The Greeks have had their way with lamb over the centuries, and no other NYC chef represents modern Greek cooking like Anthos' Michael Psilakis. The chef calls his dish "lamb pancetta" strictly as a way of associating cured belly with the familiar Italian bacon. "When you say 'bacon' or 'pancetta,' there seems to be a lot more knowledge there from the public," says Psilakis. After extracting the belly from the saddle (which the chef uses in many dishes throughout Anthos and the newly launched Anthos Upstairs), the cut is cured overnight in salt, sugar and spices (cumin, fennel, cinnamon, coriander, star anise and mustard seed). After a deep-salt cure for a second day, the bacon is rinsed, dried, rolled in cheese cloth and hung for four to eight weeks.

For the plate, the pancetta is sliced paper-thin and dressed with virgin olive oil, espelette peppers, arugula leaves and shaved with kefalotiri cheese. The flavor is very different from pork—robust and earthy, but not as salty. Psilakis swears by fresh domestic lamb, versus frozen cuts from New Zealand and Australia. "The American domestic lamb is the best lamb in the world," he says firmly. "It has a much more intense flavor. You can go to Price Club and get frozen lamb chops. If you are looking for quality, there is no comparison."

Anthos (36 W. 52nd St., 212-582-6900)