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Every Alaskan needs as many doses of fresh fish in the summer as possible. To let such opportunities pass by should be unconstitutional.

Not a fisherman? Make friends with one — they’re everywhere. Luckily, my husband is obsessed with hauling in fresh salmon, believing that one cannot make it through the winter without consuming enough salmon to grease up the bones. I love salmon (especially Yukon king) and most especially, fresh salmon. But I would trade salmon for halibut two to one. Halibut is just so easy to cook; you can hardly go wrong with it.

While nearly every Alaska cookbook includes salmon and halibut recipes, I went on a search for a book dedicated to the art of fish cooking and found “Life’s a Fish and Then You Fry,” by Randy Bayliss. What a hoot!

This is a deliberately unsophisticated collection. In the introduction, the author states: “I’m offended when the ill-informed call me a gourmet. Here, we’re talking simple, quick, easy seafood cooking.” Bayliss concentrates on our state’s seafood, which he much prefers to Outside fish. Most of his recipes were tested on his 30-foot sailboat.

Regardless of the anti-gourmet factor, this is a fun read and a worthy addition to any Alaskan’s collection. Of course, there are fish recipes galore, but there are also juicy tidbits about things that make fish taste better, like fresh ginger, olive oil, garlic, parsley, cilantro, basil. Bayliss appears to be crazy about pesto and shares simple renditions anyone can make.

Espousing the health benefits of fish, Bayliss shares interesting tales about dishes that are not only tasty to eat but beneficial to body and soul.

Ketchikan artist Ray Troll’s illustrations add personality and humor to the book. It’s easy to get drawn into studying the details of his drawings, trying to figure out what they mean.

But back to the food — Bayliss strongly cautions against overcooking fish and wants people to try poaching it in white wine and topping with delicious, simple sauces. Poaching has never appealed to me but I am willing to try it now, due to the author’s urging.

His rule is to boil fish 10 minutes per inch of thickness. When done, the fish should flake easily. “The only excuse for overcooking is sinful negligence,” Bayliss states. Be sure to have the wine boiling in a big pot first and cut the fish into pieces of uniform thickness. To make the fish flavorful, add cooking vinegar, tarragon leaves, chopped onions and assorted spices into the mix. You can also add potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, peas, cauliflower or whatever is available from the garden, farmers’ market or freezer.

The beauty of this method, according to Bayliss, is that every time you make this dish it turns out different.

Thankfully, Bayliss isn’t stuck on poaching. He shares ways to fry, grill, bake, pickle and smoke fish. If you try some of his recommendations there’s no excuse for not including fresh fish in your diet this summer.

Nancy Tarnai can be reached at ntarnai@alaska.net

Seafood Quiche

1 Tbs. butter

4 oz. chopped shallots or white parts of green onions

4 eggs

1 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese

1 cup cream or half & half

6 oz. small, cooked shrimp

6 oz. chopped, cooked clams

9-inch piecrust

Using the butter, saute the shallots until soft. Beat the eggs well and add all the ingredients. Pour into the piecrust and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until an inserted knife blade comes out clean.

Troll’s Fish Cakes

2 cups boiled and flaked potatoes, Yukon Golds

1 cup cooked salmon, in small flakes

1 cup cooked halibut, cod or rockfish, in small flakes

2 eggs, lightly whisked

1 tsp. nutmeg (the “secret ingredient)

1 tsp. Allspice

White pepper to taste

Dill to taste

Basil to taste

Mix up these ingredients, form into patties and fry in peanut oil. Serve with grated cheddar cheese.

Italian Wilted Salad

1 oz. pine nuts

6 oz. smoked salmon, in small pieces

2 oz. olive oil, cooking grade

2 cloves garlic, smashed flat and chopped

2 large bunches fresh spinach, rinsed and torn

1 large bunch fresh basil leaves (do not use dried)

1 Tbs. red wine vinegar

2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium-hot skillet with a trace of oil, toast the pine nuts for a few moments.

Remove them and add the smoked salmon, just to warm it. Remove the salmon, add the oil and garlic, and quickly heat to sizzling. Meanwhile, have the spinach and basil leaves ready in the serving bowl. Pour the hot oil over the leaves and quickly toss them. Heat the vinegar in the skillet, pour the vinegar over the leaves, and toss quickly again. Then toss in the salmon, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. Add pepper to taste.

Recipes from Life's a Fish and Then You Fry by Randy Bayliss, ©2002, reprinted with permission from Alaska Northwest Books®, an imprint of Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company.