Filling up on halibut during Alaskan adventure inspires recipes back home

Alice, our naturalist guide in Talkeetna, Alaska, says she cried when her freezer malfunctioned. She lost more than 100 pounds of halibut from a recent fishing expedition. Only one week into our Alaskan vacation, and barely a dozen halibut meals in, we were starting to understand the local devotion to this fish.

Alaskan halibut has no rival - it tastes mild and slightly sweet with a creamy, satisfyingly meaty texture. It works well on the grill, in a pan, under the broiler, in the fryer, smoker or steamer. It can be poached, sauced, sandwiched, caked or chopped into salad. We even like it flaked in omelets and diced into soup.

We attempted to eat our fill during our August trip, enjoying the sweet white fish at nearly every meal on the Kenai Peninsula. But just one day after our return to Chicago, we found ourselves