Traditional Scottish Cullen Skink
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Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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388 | Calories |
18g | Fat |
20g | Carbs |
35g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 388 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 18g | 23% |
Saturated Fat 10g | 49% |
Cholesterol 131mg | 44% |
Sodium 1366mg | 59% |
Total Carbohydrate 20g | 7% |
Dietary Fiber 2g | 6% |
Total Sugars 10g | |
Protein 35g | |
Vitamin C 15mg | 75% |
Calcium 270mg | 21% |
Iron 2mg | 13% |
Potassium 952mg | 20% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Cullen skink, one of Scotland's most famous dishes, is a hearty soup that is traditionally made with smoked haddock. The name of this soup comes from Cullen, a small town in the northeast of Scotland. Skink is the Scottish term for a knuckle, shin, or hough of beef, so most soups made of these parts were called skink. When people in northern Scotland were unable to find scraps of beef due to economic strains but had plenty of fish to cook with, and smoked haddock was found everywhere, meat stews transformed into fish-based soups, but the name skink stuck.
In this version of the famous recipe, mashed potatoes add thickness and creaminess, while in other versions, the potatoes are added in chunks. The best potatoes for our skink would be waxier types rather than those traditionally used for mash.
This Cullen skink recipe is also known as smoked haddock chowder in other parts of Britain, and both dishes are very similar. This recipe is also a gluten-free dish as the only thickener used is potatoes.
Ingredients
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1 1/4 pints milk
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Small handful flat-leaf parsley, leaves and stalks separated, plus more for garnish
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1 bay leaf
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1 pound smoked haddock fillet, not dyed
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2 ounces butter
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1 medium onion, finely chopped
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8 ounces mashed potato, leftover or cooked fresh
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Kosher salt, to taste
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Black pepper, to taste
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Crusty bread, for serving, optional
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Put the milk, parsley stalks, bay leaf, and haddock into a large, roomy saucepan.
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Finely chop the parsley leaves and keep to one side.
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Bring the milk to a gentle boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
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Remove the pan from the heat and leave for 5 minutes for the herbs to infuse their flavor into the milk.
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Remove the haddock from the milk with a slotted spatula and put to one side.
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Strain the liquid through a fine sieve and reserve the herb-infused milk.
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In another, smaller saucepan, melt the butter and add the chopped onion. Cook gently until translucent, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the onion.
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Add the milk and the mashed potato to the onion and stir well until the mixture has a thick and creamy consistency.
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Flake the smoked haddock into meaty chunks, removing any bones you may find. Add the fish to the soup.
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Add the chopped parsley leaves to the soup and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook the soup for an additional 5 minutes. Don't over stir, because the fish chunks might disintegrate.
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Taste the soup and add salt and pepper as needed. Be careful with the salt, as the fish will impart quite a salty flavor all on its own.
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Garnish the soup with more chopped parsley or a little extra pepper. Serve hot with crusty bread, if desired.
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For a Classic Presentation
Sometimes Cullen skink is served with other ingredients to make a more filling dish:
- A softly poached hen's egg on top adds creaminess and fat.
- A few lightly poached quail's eggs dropped into the soup before serving adds a touch of sophistication.
- A can of sweet corn added to the soup gives texture and, although not traditional, provides a sweet flavor.
How to Properly Store and Reheat Cullen Skink
As with all fish and dairy-based dishes, proper storage is key to maintaining food safety:
- If you have leftovers and are planning on eating them shortly, store the soup in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to two days. Warm up on the stove but do not store again if you have any additional leftovers; those portions need to go.
- For longer-term storage, place it in freezer bags and freeze the soup for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before heating up on the stove.
- When reheating, do not boil the soup. With sudden changes in temperature, the fish's texture can be altered and go from flaky to rubbery in minutes.
- If the reheated soup seems too thick, add whole milk and taste for seasonings, adding salt and pepper as needed.