For many people, springtime cuisine is less about filling up and more about feeling good. That attitude often translates to eating meals that aren't as likely to stick to your ribs, allowing you to get out in the warmer air and enjoy some quality time outdoors.

When it comes time to changing the menu to lighter fare, fish is often the change of choice. With so much variety, fish can be a great way to feel lighter on your feet while not missing out on a good meal, such as the following recipe for halibut with couscous from Michael White's "Fiamma: The Essence of Contemporary Italian Cooking."

Halibut with couscous

Makes four servings

1/4 cup slivered almonds or shelled pistachio nuts

1 cup uncooked couscous

1 stick cinnamon

4 cups fish stock

2 teaspoons olive oil with a few drops of lemon juice added

1/2 cup golden raisins or currants

4 7-ounce skinless halibut fillets

12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 1/2 pounds farmed mussels, scrubbed and debearded

4 ounces squid bodies, split lengthwise and cut into thin strips

2 tablespoons julienned or chopped flat-leaf parsley

Pinch of saffron threads

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the nuts on a sheet pan and bake until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, and watching carefully that they do not burn. Remove and set aside.

Combine

the couscous, saffron and cinnamon in a large bowl. Bring 2 cups of the stock to a boil. Pour it over the couscous, cover tightly and set the bowl in a warm spot, such as the back of the stove, but not over a flame. After 5 minutes, fluff the couscous with a fork and let it stand until all the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the olive oil with lemon added, raisins and almonds, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.

Season the halibut and shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the halibut, shrimp and mussels and shake the pan. Pour in the remaining 2 cups of fish stock, cover and steam for 2 minutes. Add the squid and continue cooking until the halibut is just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes longer, to ensure that the squid remains tender. Remove the fish and shellfish with a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard any mussels that don't open.

Make a mound of the couscous in the center of each of 4 large plates. Lay the halibut on the couscous, then divide the shellfish among the plates. Sprinkle a little parsley on top, ladle 3 to 4 tablespoons of the poaching liquid over the fish, add a few drops of olive oil, and serve at once.

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NAPSI