Cullen Skink with Smoked Whiting

Serves	4 to 6
Prep time	15 minutes
Cook time	20 minutes
Total time	35 minutes
Allergy	Fish, Milk
Meal type	Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish, Soup
Misc	Serve Hot
Occasion	Casual Party, Formal Party
Region	British
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

Cullen is a small town in North east of Scotland and the home of one of Scotland's most famous dishes, Cullen Skink. It is a hearty soup and traditionally made with Finnan haddock (smoked haddock), potatoes and onions. Cullen Skink recipe is also known as Smoked Haddock Chowder in other parts of Britain. In my recipe, I have used smoked whiting, which is cheaper than smoked haddock with wonderful results, and I also added some smoked salmon for a different twist.

Ingredients

2 lbs (900g) smoked whiting fillets
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 pint (600ml) milk
1 lb (450g) potatoes, peeled and finely diced
1 bay leaf
chopped chives
smoked salmon (about 50g, flaked into small pieces)
salt and pepper, to season

Note

Cullen is a small town in North east of Scotland and home of one of Scotland's most famous dishes, Cullen Skink. This creamy and hearty soup is traditionally made with Finnan haddock (smoked haddock), potatoes and onions. Cullen Skink is also known as Smoked Haddock Chowder in other parts of Britain. In my recipe, I have used smoked whiting, which is cheaper than smoked haddock, with wonderful results, and I also added some smoked salmon and some chopped chives for a different twist.

Directions

Step 1	In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the smoked whiting, bay leaf and milk. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. When the fish is done, remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Remove the bay leaf at this stage too. Add the diced potatoes and onion to the milk and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.
Step 2	Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender, in batches if needed, and blend until smooth and creamy, OR using a stick blender, blend the soup in the saucepan. Return the soup to the pan and flake the fish into the soup. Add the chopped chives.
Step 3	Heat through gently, do not boil. Just before serving, add the flaked smoked salmon and gently stir it into the soup. Serve immediately. Season with pepper and garnish with parsley or extra chopped chives to individual tastes.