The use of star anise in this recipe is brillient. I suggest experimenting with other aromatic spices in small quantities to develop your personal version. Cardomom is one I like.

Does the Salmon need to be sashimi grade?

Thanks!

We have made this for years and never used sushi grade. Of course it certainly would not hurt, it's just not necessary.

I use cardamon, pepper, lemongrass, culantro, gin and Mekong amongst other things-simply amazing-weighted and aged for a few weeks. Steelhead is also lovely as Gravlaxx.

Acording to most recipes in Sweden you should put the salmon in the freezer for atleast 24 hours prior to making the dish. This is to kill potential parasites.

By the way, lax means salmon in swedish.

I have done cured salmon, gravlax for years always using fresh salmon, the more salt and longer you leave it on the more cured and the more safe your salmon will be, because the flesh will then be very alkaline inhibiting bacteria to multiply and parasite to nourish themselves, this process has been around a long time. Nowadays we do not cure it for as long because we do have refrigeration and don't care much for very salty fish, so the modern version is more a compromise, the salmon should be very fresh, either fresh or previously frozen when very fresh, it should be cured in the fridge and kept in the fridge easily up to a week after the curing process before it may spoil, you can also cure several fillets and freeze them. Defrosting and using one at the time, Hope it helps.

Do you recommend the use of culantro as a substitute for cilantro? If so, what ratio do you suggest as culantro is more pungent than cilantro. The only reference to culantro I can find on the website is the above comment on Thai Gravlaxx. Culantro is such an easy herb to grow, especially when compared to trying to grow cilantro (at least in Florida. Suggestions?

I have never actually heard of cilantro. As for how to use it in comparison to cilantro, I would suggest you just use it to taste, keeping in mind that you can always add more. Cheers!

The salmon fillet I bought had no sc scaled removed from the skin. Should I leave the scale on or should I remove it? If you could possibly let me know ASAP since I just unwrapped the salmon and found it has skin with scales.

Thank you....

Yes, you need to remove the skin and scales. Cheers!

Kimberley,
Thank you for your reply. After brief deliberation I've decided to clean salmon skin off the scales. I did left the skin on though. Your instructional video also shows fillet of salmon with the skin on. So I guess either way would be ok to cure the fillet of salmon with or without skin. Right?

Good call. Scales would not be pleasant. This particular chef left the skin on, but it wouldn't hurt to have it off either. Without the skin, the fish would be able to absorb the flavors from both sides. It'll be great. Cheers!

Thanks Kimberley!