sea cucumber by soaking in water, then
simmer them until tender. They do the same
with shark fins, which give a gelatinous
thickness to soups.
Stockfish Perhaps the best known dried fish
in the West is the Scandinavian stockfish,
which traditionally has been cod, ling, or their
relatives, freeze-dried for several weeks on
rocky beaches along the cold, windy coasts of
Norway, Iceland, and Sweden. The result is a
hard, light slab that’s nearly all protein and
has a pronounced, almost gamy flavor when
cooked. Today, stockfish is mechanically air-
dried for two to three months at 40–50ºF/5–
10ºC. Stockfish fanciers in Scandinavia and
the Mediterranean region reconstitute the
woody mass in water for from one to several
days, with frequent changes to prevent
bacterial growth. The skin is then removed
and the fish gently simmered, then served in
pieces, in boneless flakes, or else pounded