Q. I enjoyed an entree in a restaurant on Mother's Day that I've been trying to duplicate for my family. It was a grilled halibut with a pesto risotto. Can you concoct a light version of this dish for me? Hopefully before the next Mother's Day (LOL)?

A. I could just smell this dish when I read this reader's request! I love halibut and I love pesto and I love risotto, so I couldn't wait to put these three together in one light dish.

I made the risotto with fat-free half-and-half and a less-sodium chicken broth, only a couple tablespoons of olive oil or whipped butter, and 4 tablespoons of the lightest pesto on the market (Armanino, in the frozen pasta section of many supermarkets).

The halibut is already light and healthful, so our goal is to keep it that way. I just sprayed each fillet with some canola cooking spray and sprinkled some freshly ground pepper (and salt, if desired) on to it before grilling.

This dish is now a personal favorite that I think I will request on Mother's Day next year!

(Editor's note: We saw fresh halibut in Honolulu earlier this week, but this firm-fleshed, rich white fish is only spottily available, since it is subject to close regulation in Alaskan waters and only periodic open fishing seasons. You can substitute marlin, swordfish, ono, opah, monchong or mahi.)

A similar, nonlightened, recipe contains 820 calories, 43 grams fat, 21 grams saturated fat, and 158 mg cholesterol per serving.

GRILLED HALIBUT WITH PESTO RISOTTO

For the pesto risotto:

6 cups chicken stock (lower sodium if available)

1 cup fat-free half-and-half

2 tablespoons olive oil or whipped butter (or less-fat margarine)

1 cup sweet onion, finely chopped

2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 tablespoons pesto (e.g., Armanino pesto in the frozen-pasta aisle)

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

For the fish:

6 (6-ounce) halibut or other white fish fillets

Canola cooking spray (olive oil cooking spray can be substituted)

Freshly ground pepper

Freshly ground salt (optional)

Garnish:

Lemon wedges and/or basil leaves

Bring chicken stock to a slow simmer in medium saucepan (and keep it on simmer while proceeding to the next steps in the recipe).

Meanwhile, add olive oil or whipped butter to another medium, nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, stirring frequently (about 5 minutes). Add rice to the saucepan with onion and continue to cook and stir until opaque (about 2 minutes). Add the white wine and simmer until the liquid is absorbed.

Add 2 cups of the simmering chicken broth and simmer until it is almost completely absorbed, stirring frequently (about 7 minutes). Add 2 more cups of simmering broth to the rice mixture and cook until this is almost absorbed, stirring frequently (about another 7 minutes). Add the remaining broth (1/2 cup at a time) and cook until the broth is almost absorbed, stirring frequently. Add the half-and-half and continue to cook and stir until rice is just tender.

Keep rice warm while preparing fish.

For the grilled fish:

Prepare your barbecue at medium-high heat. Spray both sides of each halibut fillet with canola oil cooking spray (or olive oil cooking spray). Sprinkle each fillet with pepper (and salt if desired).

Grill the halibut fillets about 6 inches from the hot coals (or heat source) until just opaque in the center (about 4 minutes per side). (You may also broil fish if you don't wish to light the barbecue.)

Stir pesto and Parmesan into risotto, then serve a mound of pesto risotto topped with a grilled fish fillet. Garnish with basil leaves and/or lemon wedge.

Makes 6 servings.