By AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN

Starting salmon with the skin side down in a pan is a neat way to cook fish. The skin protects the fish from drying out. The skin also releases fat into the pan, which is then used to cook the second side until it is golden brown, no extra oil needed.

To help keep the fish from sticking and allow the fat to puddle under the fish (and not just around it), sprinkle a thin layer of salt and pepper over the cold pan before adding the fish. And make sure to use a nonstick pan. Follow this recipe with your kids.

SWEET AND TANGY GLAZED SALMON

Servings: 4

Start to finish: 35 minutes (Prep time: 10 minutes)

¯1/4 cup maple syrup

¯2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

¯2 tablespoons soy sauce

¯1 tablespoon lime juice, squeezed from 1 lime

¯2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

¯Salt and pepper

¯4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets

¯1 lime, cut into wedges

Gather Cooking Equipment:

¯Medium saucepan

¯12-inch nonstick skillet

¯Tongs

¯Spatula

¯Instant-read thermometer

¯Serving platter

¯Aluminum foil

¯Rubber spatula

¯Large spoon

In medium saucepan, combine maple syrup, vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, and garlic. Set aside.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in even layer. Place salmon fillets, skin side down, in skillet. Wash your hands. Sprinkle tops of fillets with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Cook salmon over medium heat, without moving salmon, until fat begins to puddle around fillets and skin begins to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

Use tongs and spatula to carefully flip fillets. Cook, without moving fillets, until center of each fillet registers 125 F on the instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn off heat. Transfer fillets, skin side down, to serving platter. Cover platter with aluminum foil.

Cook maple syrup mixture in saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally with rubber spatula, until thick and syrupy, 4 to 6 minutes (sauce will be very bubbly when it thickens). Turn off heat. Spoon glaze evenly over salmon. Serve with lime wedges.

Chef’s Note: To flip fish, gently slide spatula under fish to loosen skin from skillet, then use tongs to flip fish.

Nutrition information per serving: 326 calories; 112 calories from fat; 12 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 109 mg cholesterol; 691 mg sodium; 16 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 13 g sugar; 38 g protein.