Cullen Skink
A comforting, velvety Scottish soup made with flaked smoked haddock, tender tatties (potatoes), and sweet onions in rich, creamy milk.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 340 kcal
Equipment
- •Large saucepan
- •Slotted spoon
- •Potato masher
- •Measuring jug
- •Chef's knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 22 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 28 g
- calories
- 340 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the smoked haddock, whole milk, water, and bay leaf into a large saucepan over medium heat.
- 2
Bring gently to a bare simmer and poach for 5 minutes until the fish flakes easily.
- 3
Transfer the fish onto a plate with a slotted spoon and strain the poaching liquid into a jug.
- 4
Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium-low heat.
- 5
Add the chopped onion and fry gently for 5 minutes until soft and translucent, without browning.
- 6
Add the diced tatties (potatoes) and pour in the reserved warm poaching liquid.
- 7
Simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes until the potato cubes are completely tender.
- 8
Roughly crush some potatoes against the side of the pan with a potato masher to thicken the broth.
- 9
Flake the poached haddock into bite-sized chunks, discarding any remaining skin or bones.
- 10
Stir the flaked fish, double cream, black pepper, and half the chopped parsley into the pan.
- 11
Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until thoroughly hot, taking care not to boil.
- 12
Ladle the hot soup into warm bowls and garnish with the remaining fresh parsley.
Chef's tips
Always choose natural undyed smoked haddock over bright yellow dyed fish for a cleaner, authentic flavour. Thicken the soup naturally by crushing a portion of the potatoes rather than adding flour or cornflour.
Ingredient substitutions
- undyed smoked haddock → Finnan haddie or hot-smoked salmon
- double cream → an equal amount of extra whole milk
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat until steaming hot throughout, without bringing to a boil.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the soup vigorously, which can split the milk and make the delicate fish rubbery.
- •Salting the soup before tasting, as smoked haddock releases plenty of natural salt during poaching.
- •Discarding the poaching liquid, which holds most of the rich, smoky fish stock.
Serving suggestions
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