Lemon and garlic add a fresh and flavorful sauce to salmon fillet.

The secret to perfectly cooked salmon is to sear it first in a skillet and then finish the cooking in the oven. It should come out soft and juicy and a little translucent in the center. It will have some carryover cooking once it is off the heat. Look for wild caught salmon.

The tartness of the sauce is a perfect balance for the richness of the fish. Fresh parsley adds color and flavor to the whole wheat spaghetti side dish.

LEMON, GARLIC SALMON

Makes 2 servings

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 ounces white wine

Olive oil spray

3/4 pound wild caught salmon fillet

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix lemon juice, garlic and white wine together in a bowl. Set aside. Heat a nonstick skillet that is oven-proof over medium-high heat. Spray with olive oil spray. Add the salmon and sear 2 minutes, turn and sear 2 minutes. Pour the lemon sauce over the salmon and place the skillet in the oven for 5 minutes or until the salmon starts to flake. This is for a one-inch-thick fillet. For 1/2-inch-thick fillet, sear 1 minute on each side and 3 minutes in the oven. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

PARSLEY PASTA

Makes 2 servings

1/4 pound whole wheat spaghetti

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and boil 8 minutes. Remove 2 tablespoons pasta water to a bowl and add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Drain the spaghetti and add to the bowl. Toss well. Sprinkle with parsley.

Linda Gassenheimer is the author, most recently, of “Delicious One-Pot Dishes.” Follow her on Twitter @lgassenheimer.