Dried fish

Dried fish is fish preserved by removing moisture; it may be dried with or without salt. Salted dried fish needs soaking to remove excess salt, while unsalted stockfish mainly needs soaking to soften it.

For thick, unsalted stockfish, soak it in plenty of cold water in the fridge for several days, changing the water daily, until it is pliable. Thin pieces soften much faster, so start checking them after a day.

Rinse salted dried fish, cut it into pieces and soak it in cold water in the fridge, changing the water every few hours. Thin pieces may need only several hours; thick or very salty pieces can take a day or two. Cook a small piece to check the salt before seasoning the dish.

Keep it dry and airtight in a cool, dark place; moisture encourages spoilage. Once soaked, keep it covered in the fridge and cook it within a day or two.

Rehydrated stockfish is used in bacalhau dishes, including Portuguese bacalhau à Brás, and in West African soups and stews. Add it after soaking and simmer until tender so it can absorb the sauce.

Yes, but fresh fish will not bring the same concentrated flavour or texture, and it needs no soaking. Add it near the end of cooking and reduce other salty ingredients if the recipe was designed for salted dried fish.

Dried fish has slightly more protein: 12 g per 100 g, compared with 11 g in lutefisk. Lutefisk is made by soaking dried white fish in lye, then rinsing it thoroughly.