Cullen Skink (Scottish Potato & Fish Soup)

**As surprising as the name, this popular Scottish soup is surprisingly easy and delightfully smokey with tender fish and smooth and chunky potatoes.**

Are you thinking what I’m thinking? How could a dish with such a name be worth making, let along eating? Despite the unfortunate name rhyming with “stink”, the only thing you will find to be stinky is perhaps the fresh fish shop where you might be shopping for the required ingredient of smoked haddock. This is a delicious (yes) potato, fish and cream chowder originating from Scotland. It has been described as "smokier and more assertive than American chowder, heartier than classical French bisque".

Hailing from the town of Cullen in Moray on the northeast coast of Scotland, Skink is often served as a starter at formal Scottish dinners but is also widely served as an everyday dish across the northeast of Scotland, traditionally served with bread. And Stink, I mean Skink, was a Scots word for shin or knuckle of beef but has overtime, developed the secondary meaning of a soup.

I will admit that when I accidentally ordered this soup in a popular pub in the shadow of Sterling Castle, I hesitated, but then plucking up my culinary curiously, took the tinniest sip, than another, then a bigger one until the bowl was empty.

The fish, haddock, gives a smokey flavor similar to bacon, to the universally popular potato, which is then augmented with the subtle onion flavor of shallots all combined together with cream. Threatening to become a signature dish of Scotland, edging out even haggis, one would guess in might have a more appetizing name. But having made and enjoyed, it, I will proudly call it “Skink” any day!

Cullen Skink

3 1/2 cups whole milk

1 bay leaf

1 pound Finnan Haddie (Scottish smoked haddock)

2 tablespoons butter

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

1 leek, finely diced and cleaned

1 pound Yukon gold or Red potatoes, peel on or off as desired, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (1 large or 2 medium potatoes equal 1 pound)

1 cup heavy cream

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Finely minced chives, for garnish

Toasted bread croutons for garnish (optional)

-In a 3-quart saucepan, heat milk with bay leaf over medium heat until nearly simmering. Add fish and cook until just starting to flake, about 5 - 6 minutes. Remove fish with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Set aisde.

-Discard bay leaf. Transfer milk to mixing bowl then set asdie.

-Wash saucepan and return to medium heat. Add butter and cook until melted. Add onion and leeks then cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 6 minutes. Return milk to saucepan and add potatoes. Turn heat to medium low and bring milk to a low simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent milk from scorching.

-Using a potato masher or large wooden spoon, break up potatoes in pot until partially mashed. You want a combination of larger and smaller potato pieces, so the sauce is thickened but there are still chunks of potato in the soup.

-Remove and discard any skin or bones from fish then flake it into the soup. Stir in room-temperature cream. Season with salt and pepper, and, if desired, stir in a pinch of cayenne. Serve, sprinkling chives and a few croutons, if used, on top of each bowl. Serves 6 - 8

-The finished soup can be refrigerated for up to four days. Reheat gently before serving.