Cullen Skink
A thick, creamy soup of smoked haddock, potato and onion from the Moray coast of Scotland.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Makes
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
Cullen skink comes from the fishing village of Cullen on the Moray Firth. "Skink" is an old Scots word for a soup, originally one made from beef shin; in Cullen, where smoked haddock was plentiful, the fish took its place.
Look for undyed smoked haddock. The bright yellow kind is coloured, not smoked more. The soup should be thick enough that some of the potato breaks down into it.
Ingredients
- 350gundyed smoked haddock fillet
- 300mlwater
- 1bay leaf
- 25gbutter
- 1onion, finely chopped
- 350gfloury potatoes, peeled and diced
- 500mlwhole milk
- ground black pepper
- chopped parsley or chives, to serve
Equipment
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Method
- 1
Put the haddock in a wide pan with the water and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and poach for 4–5 minutes until the fish just flakes. Lift out the fish and keep the cooking liquid.
Photo: Simon Doggett from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 (cropped) - 2
Melt the butter in a large saucepan and soften the onion gently for 8–10 minutes without letting it brown.
Photo: Juliegwen · CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped) - 3
Add the potatoes, the fish cooking liquid (strained) and the milk. Simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are very soft. Lightly crush a few against the side of the pan to thicken the soup.
Photo: Andrew Roberts · CC BY 3.0 (cropped) - 4
Flake the haddock into large pieces, removing any skin and bones, and return it to the pan to warm through. Season with pepper (the fish is already salty), scatter with parsley or chives and serve with crusty bread.
Photo: Tracey Adams · CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
Tips
Richer version: stir in a splash of double cream at the end.
Keeping: best eaten the day it is made; reheat gently without boiling.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Soup too thin | Potatoes not broken down | Crush more of the potato into the soup, or simmer a few minutes longer |
| Too salty | Smoked fish is salty | Taste before seasoning, and add a little more milk to balance |
