Mackerel Sashimi

Choose fresh mackerel with dark, jet black pupils, glossy skin, bright red gills, and sea-like scent

Align knife with pectoral fin at 40-45 degrees, cut through skin and flesh until hitting spine on both sides

Make deep cuts on bottom of fish meeting at underside, run blade down underbelly without perforating intestines

Separate head from body at 30 degrees, pull head downward to remove innards in one movement

Wash fish thoroughly under tap to remove residual blood and fluid

Glide knife tip through fish from underbelly to tail portion

Roll fish over, align blade with top rear fin, cut along spine using gentle slicing motions

At tail's narrowest point, angle blade vertically and slice through flesh along lower body to separate first fillet

Turn remaining fish over and repeat cutting process to separate second fillet from spine

Position blade between ribs and flesh at center of fillet, slice to separate ribs from meat

Use flat-ended tweezers to remove remaining pin bones from widest end of fillet

Peel skin off starting at tail end, pulling away from yourself

Freeze fish according to FDA guidelines: 4°F for 7 days, or -31°F for 15 hours, or freeze solid at -31°F then store at -4°F for 24 hours

Sprinkle generous salt over flesh of each fillet, leave covered 30-60 minutes, rinse and pat dry

Mix rice wine vinegar with mirin, sugar and salt until dissolved, place fillets flesh-side down, marinate in fridge 24 hours

Position knife at 25 degree angle, 1 inch from tail end, make cuts a few millimeters thick

Arrange sashimi slices overlapping like dominoes on plate, add cucumber spiral garnish, cucumber fans, pickled ginger and wasabi