-
1
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, salt, and pepper.
-
2
Set aside.
-
3
With sterile tweezers or needle-nose pliers, pull out any bones remaining in the salmon.
-
4
They are easy to locate by running your fingers along the side of fish.
-
5
(There can be as many as ) Cut the side of salmon in half crosswise.
-
6
Lay one piece of salmon skin side-down in a shallow, nonreactive dish.
-
7
Drizzle with half the tequila.
-
8
Sprinkle with half the sugar mixture, patting it firmly into the fish.
-
9
Layer the cilantro over the salmon; arrange the lime slices over the cilantro.
-
10
Drizzle the second piece of salmon with the remaining tequila and sprinkle it with the remaining sugar mixture, patting it firmly into the fish.
-
11
Lay the second piece of salmon on top, skin-side up.
-
12
Cover with plastic wrap.
-
13
Set a small, flat-bottomed dish atop the stack of salmon and weight it with 2 heavy cans or a small saucepan.
-
14
Refrigerate for 24 hours.
-
15
Remove the weights, the dish, and the plastic wrap.
-
16
With a spatula, flip the two pieces of salmon as one, so that the top piece is now on the bottom.
-
17
With the spatula, lift the salmon piece now on top and baste the cilantro layer with the accumulated juices from the dish.
-
18
Replace the salmon.
-
19
Cover with plastic, top again with the dish and the weights, and refrigerate another 24 hours.
-
20
Remove the dish, weights, and plastic.
-
21
Scrape off the cilantro, limes, and the salt mixture and pat the salmon dry with paper towels.
-
22
Transfer to a cutting board.
-
23
Beginning with the tapered tail-end piece of the salmon, using a long, thin, sharp knife, cut the salmon, across the grain and at an angle almost parallel to the work surface, into thin slices, releasing the slices from the skin as you go.
-
24
Cut out and discard the darker v-shaped portion of each slice if desired.
-
25
Arrange the salmon on plates as you slice, overlapping slightly.
-
26
About 2 ounces of salmon is a suitable portion (like all raw fish, it is rich).
-
27
Drizzle decoratively with the lime cream, garnish with cilantro sprigs, and serve immediately.
