Serving suggestions: honey mustard, horseradish mashed potatoes, mesclun greens

Bring the salmon to room temperature 10 minutes before cooking.

Warm a large nonstick skillet with oil over medium-low heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high. Place the salmon, skin-side up in the pan. Cook until golden brown on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Turn the fish over with a spatula, and cook until it feels firm to the touch and the skin is crisp if desired, about 3 minutes more.

The skin can be served or removed easily with a knife or spoon.

Transfer to a plate and serve as desired.

Follow these simple guidelines on finding and handing your ingredients. Fresh fish should NOT smell fishy. Choose fish with bright eyes, shiny gills, and firm flesh. Fish fillets should appear moist without a lot of excess liquid at the bottom of the package. Use vinegar diluted with water if you don't have vermouth. Know your fish monger and ask questions. Always cook the presentation side first. [not the skin side] Rich fish is good for pan-frying. Delicate fish is better for baking. Baking fish on a bed of herbs gives the fish aromatic flavor and keeps the fish from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Recipe Rescue: If you don't have enough juice in the pan to make a sauce, add a little water. Otherwise, whisk the cooking juices with some vinegar to make a vinaigrette and pour over fish. If fish is too dry, mix with mashed potatoes and coat with breadcrumbs to make fish cakes. If salmon is still raw on the inside, place in 350 degree F. oven for 5 minutes and keep a close eye on it.