It's always nice to be told to eat more of a delicious, fatty food, as in the case of salmon.

Health officials recommend eating at least two servings per week of omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish, such as salmon, herring and trout.

Despite rising prices, fresh Atlantic salmon is available year-round. Pacific, which tends to have a fuller flavor and brighter color, is in season from late spring to late fall. Vacuum-sealed frozen salmon, which preserves well when frozen, is available year-round.

While whole salmon are available, the most convenient way to buy the fish is as fillets or steaks. Choose salmon that is firm to the touch and is bright in color. It shouldn't have a fishy odor, just a fresh seaweed scent.

LARRY CROWE/The Associated Press

Ginger-Soy Salmon Fillets fit well in a health-conscious menu.

Salmon steaks are basically a cross section of the whole fish. Because they include the skin and bones, steaks hold together well and tend to stay moist, which makes them well suited for grilling and broiling.

Fillets are the flesh of the salmon that has been cut off the bone from both sides of the fish. Fillets have few bones (you may need to remove a few pin bones with your fingertips) and work well in most types of recipes.

For grilling and pan sautéing, leave the skin on the fillets. This helps prevent the salmon from falling apart. After cooking you can easily pull the skin off.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat it with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, stir the sesame seeds over medium heat until they are lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

In the same saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, cornstarch, five-spice powder and black pepper. Stir the glaze over medium heat until simmering and thickened, about 2 minutes.

Sprinkle the top side of each salmon piece (not the skin side) with 1 tablespoon of the sesame seeds. Set the salmon, seeded-side down, on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the salmon for 7 minutes. Turn the fillets over and top each one with about 2 tablespoons of the glaze. Continue baking for another 7 minutes, or until the fish is just opaque in the center.

Pull off and discard the skin from each fillet. Sprinkle with cilantro, if using. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: Calories 326 Fat 17g (2 g sat) Cholesterol 78 mg Sodium 621 mg Fiber 1 g Carbohydrates 11 g Protein 32 g