My hunky husband Dan is a great cook. Not only has he mastered the classics, he always keeps an eye (and his browser) open for great new recipes. The best meals, of course, are low in fat, high in protein, good in high quality carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, and taste as though you should be charged $100 per plate. One of the jewels in Dan’s king-of-the-kitchen crown is Barefoot Contessa’s salmon and lentils. Not only is it a fool-proof technique for cooking salmon, the flavors and texture of this combination leave the palate elegantly satisfied. There is a reason there’s a version on the menu at Dish at Universal, the hip new restaurant opening in town.

Salmon is low in calories and saturated fat, and high in protein, with a unique type of health-promoting fat, the omega-3 essential fatty acids. As the name implies, essential fatty acids are essential for human health and because they cannot be made by the body, they must be consumed through food. Wild-caught, cold-water fish, such as salmon, are higher in omega-3 fatty acids than warm-water fish. In addition to being an excellent source of omega-3s, salmon are an excellent source of selenium, a very good source of protein, niacin and vitamin B12, and a good source of phosphorous, magnesium and vitamin B6.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Yield: Four servings

1?2 pound French green lentils

1?4 cup good olive oil, and extra for salmon

2 cups chopped yellow onions

2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3?4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 1?2 cups chopped celery (4 stalks)

1 1?2 cups chopped carrots (3 carrots)

1 1?2 cups homemade chicken stock, or good canned broth

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons good red wine vinegar

4 (eight-ounce) center-cut salmon fillets, skin removed

Place the lentils in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a sauté pan, add the onions, leeks, thyme, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for two more minutes. Add the drained lentils, celery, carrots, chicken stock and tomato paste. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Add the vinegar and season to taste.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. For the salmon, heat a dry oven-proof sauté pan over high heat for four minutes. Meanwhile, rub both sides of the salmon fillets with olive oil and season the tops very liberally with salt and pepper. When the pan is very hot, place the salmon fillets seasoning-sides down in the pan and cook over medium heat without moving them for two minutes, until very browned. Turn the fillets and place the pan in the oven for five to seven minutes until the salmon is cooked rare. Spoon a mound of lentils on each plate and place a salmon fillet on top. Serve hot. Makes great leftovers if you do not over cook the fish during reheat, bring it just to warm.