A white fish from the Atlantic, called merluza in Spain, where it is one of the most eaten fish in the country. In tins it is mild, firm, and usually packed in olive oil or a light sauce.

Clean and mild with a firm flake, closer to cod than to anything oily. It carries sauces well, which is why you find it in escabeche, olive oil with garlic, and tomato preparations.

On bread with the packing oil, flaked into a salad with potatoes and olives, or added to rice. It is the tin to reach for when you want seafood without a strong fish flavor.

Yes, closely. Both are mild white fish with a firm flake, and both are used interchangeably in Spanish cooking. Hake is slightly softer in texture and a little sweeter.

It is one of the easiest entry points, since there is nothing oily or briny to get used to. If someone says they do not like tinned fish, hake is often the tin that changes their mind.