Description
Traditional Scottish Cullen Skink is a rich and comforting smoked haddock soup infused with fresh parsley and creamy mashed potatoes, perfect for a hearty meal. This classic recipe combines gently simmered smoked fish with a buttery onion base and infused milk to create a flavorful, thick soup best enjoyed with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup parsley sprigs, leaves and stalks separated, more leaves for garnish
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pound smoked haddock fillet, preferably not dyed
Sauté Mixture
- 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
Additional
- 8 ounces store-bought or homemade mashed potato (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Crusty bread, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Assemble all ingredients to ensure you have everything ready before starting the recipe.
- Infuse Haddock in Milk: In a large saucepan, combine 2 1/2 cups of milk, parsley sprigs with leaves and stalks separated, 1 bay leaf, and the smoked haddock fillet. Bring the milk to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about 3 minutes.
- Set for Flavor Infusion: Remove the saucepan from heat and let it sit for 5 minutes, allowing the herbs and haddock to infuse their flavors into the milk thoroughly.
- Remove Haddock and Strain: Take the haddock out of the milk using a slotted spatula and set aside. Strain the infused milk through a fine mesh strainer to remove herbs and bay leaf, keeping the flavored milk for cooking.
- Sauté Onions: In another large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 2 ounces of unsalted butter and cook the finely chopped onion gently until translucent, about 5 minutes. Be cautious not to burn the onions.
- Add Milk and Potatoes: Pour the infused milk into the saucepan with the sautéed onions. Stir in the mashed potatoes, mixing until the potatoes dissolve and the soup thickens slightly.
- Flake Haddock: Flake the smoked haddock into bite-sized pieces, removing any bones, and add these chunks back into the soup.
- Simmer and Add Parsley: Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Add the finely chopped parsley leaves and cook just until the haddock is warmed through, about 5 minutes. Avoid stirring too much to prevent breaking the fish into smaller pieces.
- Season: Taste the soup and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper carefully, as the smoked haddock already adds a salty flavor.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with reserved parsley leaves and additional black pepper. Serve hot with crusty bread if desired.
Notes
- Use unsmoked mashed potatoes or homemade for best texture.
- Be gentle when stirring after adding fish to keep chunks intact.
- Adjust salt cautiously since smoked haddock is naturally salty.
- Optional crusty bread adds great texture and complements the creamy soup.
- This soup is best served immediately for maximum freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups (approx. 310 ml)
- Calories: 260 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
