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Thai-Cured Gravlox

Serves eight

Ingredients
2 pounds salmon fillet, bones removed, skin on
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 lemongrass stalks, finely minced
2 tbs. peeled, grated ginger root
1 tbs. ground star anise
1 tbs. ground, Szechwan peppercorns
2 tbs. soy sauce
4 tbs. coarse sea salt
3 tbs. light brown sugar
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tbs. sake or Mirn rice wine

Directions
Drape plastic wrap over a glass-baking dish. Cut salmon in half lengthwise, and place in dish, skin side down, side by side. Heat a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add sesame oil, minced lemongrass, ginger, star anise and Szechwan peppercorns. Sauté for two to three minutes to soften lemon grass and to cook ginger. Place mixture into a bowl to cool. Add salt, brown sugar and cilantro to lemongrass mixture, and stir to combine. Sprinkle mixture over both sides of salmon. Fold one side of salmon on top of the other with skin side up, and wrap plastic wrap snugly over the entire salmon. Place a board over the fish and weigh it down with a heavy object. Refrigerate fish for 24 to 36 hours, turning every 12 hours. To serve, separate the fillets, and carefully brush off the salt, sugar and cilantro mixture. Cut into very thin slices with a sharp knife.