As a fish lover…and especially of smoked haddock, I’ve always loved cullen skink. The combination of the smoky fish with chunks of potato in a creamy soup with leeks is just heaven! Cullen skink is a traditional Scottish soup, originating from the fishing village of Cullen on the Moray Firth. I grew up in a fishing town 55 miles from Cullen, in the North East of Scotland, so have enjoyed this soup since I was a little girl!
This recipe came from a haddock recipe book that a close friend and I bought through a local newspaper back in 2006. It was a special collection of easy recipes from Grampian and celebrity chefs, compiled for the North East of Scotland Fisheries Development Partnership.
For those of you with big appetites, you’ll enjoy this as a starter and then be able to have a main…but it really is like a meal in itself, so I like to have a big bowl as a main course with some crusty bread on the side. You’ll find this recipe in the fish and mains, as well as the soups and starters categories.
The recipe will easily serve 6 as a starter or 4 if you’re having it as a main meal with some crusty bread – see below for the links to our breads, soups, and fish recipes.
Tips
- I’d highly recommend buying the freshest fish from your local fishmonger if you can. The quality of the fish will make this soup go from good to heavenly!!
- If you have the time, I’d suggest cooking your potatoes earlier in the day, so that they’re ready for adding at step 7.Cut them into 1.5 to 2 cm dice and cook in salted water for 5 to 10 minutes (until just cooked).
Other Recipes
You might also like to try:
Ingredients
- 675g natural skinless smoked haddock (see Tips)
- 180g leek, chopped
- 60g onion, chopped
- 675g potatoes, peeled, cooked and diced (see Tips)
- 800ml milk (I use semi-skimmed)
- 250ml double cream (I use Elmlea to reduce the calories!)
- 30g butter
- 5g plain flour
- 4 tsp chopped fresh parsley
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- crusty bread, to serve
Instructions
- Peel, dice and cook the potatoes for 5 to 10 minutes, until just cooked (see Tips).
- Trim the fish, remove any bones and cut it into small chunks.
- Chop and wash the leek and onion.
- Melt the butter in a large soup or casserole pot over a medium heat and sweat the onion and leek for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Reduce the heat to low and then slowly add the milk and cream, then add the fish and cook on a gentle (low to medium) heat for 8 minutes. DO NOT BOIL as this will cause it to split.
- Add the cooked potato and simmer on the lowest heat for 10 minutes.
- Add the chopped parsley and season with salt (if needed) and pepper, to taste.
- Serve with some homemade bread.
Cullen Skink
Ingredients
- 675g natural skinless smoked haddock (see Notes)
- 180g leek chopped
- 60g onion chopped
- 675g potatoes peeled, cooked and diced (see Notes)
- 800ml milk I use semi-skimmed
- 250ml double cream I use Elmlea to reduce the calories!
- 30g butter
- 5g plain flour
- 4 tsp chopped fresh parsley
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- crusty bread to serve
Instructions
- Peel, dice and cook the potatoes for 5 to 10 minutes, until just cooked (see Notes).
- Trim the fish, remove any bones and cut it into small chunks.
- Chop and wash the leek and onion.
- Melt the butter in a large soup or casserole pot over a medium heat and sweat the onion and leek for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Reduce the heat to low and then slowly add the milk and cream, then add the fish and cook on a gentle (low to medium) heat for 8 minutes. DO NOT BOIL as this will cause it to split.
- Add the cooked potato and simmer on the lowest heat for 10 minutes.
- Add the chopped parsley and season with salt (if needed) and pepper, to taste.
- Serve with some homemade bread.
Notes
- I'd highly recommend buying the freshest fish from your local fishmonger if you can. The quality of the fish will make this soup go from good to heavenly!!
- If you have the time, I’d suggest cooking your potatoes earlier in the day, so that they’re ready for adding at step 7. Cut them into 1.5 to 2 cm dice and cook in salted water for 5 to 10 minutes (until just cooked).
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