Cooking fish can be intimidating for many home cooks but roasting takes out the guesswork, providing perfect fish with little work. Add the step of dusting the fish in a little seasoned flour and searing in a skillet before finishing in a hot oven offers an even tastier main dish, with almost as little fuss.

While I’m recommending the method for skinless salmon fillets, it is also a delicious way to prepare almost any type of fish from catfish to halibut to sea bass. I like to serve the fish atop an earthy Lentil Ragout (see the recipe on the Viking site), but it is also delicious atop crisp salad greens or hot pasta tossed with a little butter, lemon juice and parmesan. When serving over the ragout, I like to drizzle the fillets with a bit of Black Truffle Balsamic Vinegar or good aged balsamic vinegar, but a squeeze of lemon also perks up the fish nicely.

Pan-Roasted Salmon

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cake flour
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• Optional, for garnish: Black Truffle Balsamic Vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with the salt and pepper. Dip the salmon in the flour and shake to remove the excess. Sear, skin side down in the pan for 3 minutes and turn to finish cooking on the second side. Place in the oven and roast for 3-4 minutes, depending on desired doneness and the thickness of the fillets. Place a portion of the Lentil Ragu on each dinner plate. Top with a salmon fillet, drizzle with a little of the vinegar and sprinkle with the parsley.

Makes 6 servings.