Get Going ~ Where the Health to Eat this Week

It’s that time of the week again: today, we talk to the chef and owner of the very first restaurant I included in Healthy Eats Here! His food is sophisticated and down-home at the same time, and I never leave disappointed. Oh, and there’s bacon. Which you can make at home. Correction: which your five-year-old could make at home.

Enjoy.

Click HERE to listen to my ten-minute interview with Chef Michael Schwartz of the South Florida restaurant Michael’s Genuine. You can either listen to it here or right-click it to download it. Enjoy!

This Week’s Recipe:
Adapted from Michael Schwartz’s submission to Delish

Homemade Bacon, Baby!

Yes, that’s the wrong animal to show. ;)
It’s not difficult to make bacon: you just need to find yourself some pork belly –pastured is best — and then kill the bacteria in it. The way Chef Michael Schwartz does it calls for a bit of planning and some time, but it’s super easy and very, very worth it.

If you make this, wrap it tightly in plastic and keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks — or cut it up into lardons (little cubes you can toss into soups, lentils and stews or egg dishes), then date and label your packages and freeze them for up to three months. *Note: you’ll still need to cook this bacon after you’ve cured and stored it.

Ingredients:
1/4 c kosher salt (use kosher)
1/3 c sugar
1 1/4 Tablespoon sodium nitrate (a relatively small amount, and necessary for home curing)
1/4 c maple syrup
3-5 pounds pork belly, skin removed.

To make the bacon:
1) Combine everything but the pork belly in a glass mixing bowl.
2) Put the pork belly in a resealable, sturdy plastic storage bag.
3) Add the cure, seal and smush, making sure to coat the whole belly.
4) Put the bag in a container to keep it from leaking and refrigerate it for eight days, turning it every other day.
5) On the ninth day, take out the pork belly and rinse it well with cool water. Pat it dry with paper towels.
6) Now put the pork belly on top of a wire cooling rack that you’ve laid on top of a baking pan.
7) Set the oven temperature to 200 degrees F and roast the belly for three hours. (You can also smoke the belly if you have a smoker, but let it dry out in the fridge for six hours first.)
Once the bacon has cooled to room temperature, wrap it well (as specified above) and either refrigerate it for two weeks or freeze it for three months.

Enjoy!

For more recipes, visit:

www.HollyHickman.com

Greetings! And welcome to
your weekly update on the
world of good grub.

Each week, we talk shop with great chefs and
scour the country for delicious meals, deals and occasional freebies. Tasters ready? Read on…

(photos courtesy of Michael Schwartz)

Michael Schwartz, Michael’s Genuine, Miami

“If there was no pork, I’d have no reason to live. I’m a nice Jewish boy. ” — Chef Michael Schwartz

My real foodie colleague Kim Hartke took that photo of us. Aside from Michael’s wife and PR people, I’m probably the man’s number one booster, as he is the master of contrasts: his restaurant is chic and inviting. His food is spectacular and homey. He is at once aware of his gifts and is, yes, genuine. His restaurant is the first one I think of when it’s time for a celebration (such as tonight), and should be the first on your list should you ever find yourself ensconced in the silicone-enhanced bosom of South Beach’s boobie parade.

Michael has become so popular that he is opening a second iteration of Michael’s Genuine, this time on the Cayman island of Camana Bay. He also keeps a blog which I highly encourage you to follow: this week’s entry is about making headcheese.

One more thing: when you dine at Michael’s Genuine, save room for dessert. His pastry chef, Hedy Goldsmith — one of the many hyper-talented people Michael employs — makes some of the most delightful and refined morsels I’ve ever put in my mouth.

Click above this newsletter to listen to my interview with Michael (from last year). It’s about ten minutes long; just long enough to whet your appetite.

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Healthy Eats Here! lists hundreds of
restaurants – from Maui to Maine – that serve
local, sustainable, organic and/or grass-fed
& pastured foods.

Click here to purchase a copy.

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Where the Health to Eat this Week around the Country:

Eastern Seaboard
1789 — Washington, D.C.

This restaurant is not in the guide, but what could be better than learning from a star chef and then soaking it all in by tucking into a delicious brunch with wine? Executive Chef Daniel Giusti will teach you to make traditional Easter dishes such as leg of lamb, fresh ham and scrumptious egg dishes. Oh! And you’ll learn to make hot cross buns! A great deal at $100 a person. This Saturday and Sunday at 10am and 11am, respectively. Call 202.965.1789 to reserve your spot!

Pacific Northwest:
Portland, OR
One of my favorite chefs makes one of the most sought-after Sunday breakfasts in the land. (Text truncated.) You’ll need a wheelbarrow to get home, but it’s worth it.

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Tagged as: Chefs, Chews Well letter, Healthy Eats Here!