Cullen Skink (Smoked Haddock Soup)
Don’t ask me why, but I’m needing a fix of my favourite warming Scottish recipes. I think it’s since we celebrated Christmas with the family in Scotland and now that the winter frost has finally arrived in Paris and the heather is growing madly in the garden, it seems appropriate to add a touch of Scotland to the January table.
When I asked our local fishmonger in St Germain-en-Laye for some smoked haddock on Friday, this lovely French lady behind me in the queue suddenly asked me what I did with it. Well, this may be a mad about macarons site, but I also love my savouries! So, this is for you, chère Madame, as I promised you the recipe. You can also make delicious smoked fish cakes with it too.
Why the name, “Cullen Skink”?
It’s hard to take a sexy photo of a bowl of soup but also, why the name, Cullen Skink? Skink is old Scots for soup or an essence; Cullen is a small fishing village on the Moray Firth on the North-East coast of Scotland, where haddock is particularly popular. You could say that their staple diet of this thick soup, traditionally using local potatoes and onions, caught on to the net fast…
It’s a soup that’s so simple to make with little ingredients and yet it’s often served in posh Scottish restaurants or at formal Scottish dinners, such as for Saint Andrew’s or Burn’s Night.
I’ve been bowled over to discover that French friends find it an impressive dish served as a starter. It’s perhaps not just the comforting thickness and creaminess of the soup but the smoky fragrance just gives it that something extra special. I’ll also let you in to a fishy secret: I serve small to medium-sized portions of this to start the meal, leaving friends wanting just a bit more.
Recipes for Cullen Skink vary. In Scottish restaurants, I’ve had light versions but overloaded with cubes of potato with not much fish. I’ve also had extra thick versions, loaded with rich cream that by the time the main dish arrived, I’d had my fill.
My favourite way of making this has been a mix of many different approaches: I simply poach the fish in semi-skimmed milk and use no cream – and no water either – and half blitz it with the hand mixer until smooth and creamy, but still with the bits in it. Purists may scream at me but I make it using a leek (I’m on a leek roll just now – be warned for many leek recipes coming!) but if you prefer to make Cullen Skink the traditional way, use an onion instead.
Ideally recipes call for Finnan haddock or undyed smoked haddock fillets. As it’s not that easy to find them in France, I take the only smoked haddock I can find, which is called “Haddock” (just for the record, if you want plain unsmoked haddock in France, it’s known as Eglefin), otherwise any good smoked fish will be good.
I wonder what my grandmother would have thought of the discovery of Cullen Skink! My mother’s family, back down through the generations, were fisher folk on the Moray Firth coast, in the next village along from Cullen. Fishermen in those days didn’t make the huge profits of today, or have the vast trawlers. Often my grandfather would return from a hazardous fishing trip round the north of Scotland with no money to give my grandmother for housekeeping. Cullen Skink was a staple in the household, and though basic, I have never found its match in a restaurant now that it has become fashionable. The basic recipe was a mix of smoked and unsmoked haddock, onions, potatoes, Carnation evaporated milk, water, salt and pepper. Never blended – the potatoes were cooked to the point where they started to disintegrate.
Linda, thank you so much for sharing your family history with us here – and so appropriate around the village of Cullen. How fascinating! My mother’s family was also from a generation down the line of fisherfolk from Musselburgh and my grandfather sold fish from a van going down the coast from Portobello to Prestonpans. I know how this soup is more fashionable these days and no doubt not quite the same as the traditional basic but I love it to (sorry) bits! Wishing you a very Happy and delicious 2017.
I’m loving this recipe Jill. I’m going to make it this weekend. My mouth’s watering already.
Wonderful, Liz! Enjoy an extended St Andrew’s night – bon weekend x
Loving this informative post, Jill! Despite the challenge to photograph soup, you presented it nicely, and reading your voice is a joy. Glad you spent time in Scotland recently. Keep warm, my friend.
Reading your comment has made my day Brooks! Thank you. Yes, woke up to -4°C around Paris and heavy frost and looks like we’re in for more.
Any warming soups are most welcome right now!!
I suppose you can use demi-creme as well? I’ve yet to see skimmed milk here..love to know your preferred brand of hand blender btw. I Must get one soon.
Cheers
Carolg
Hi Carol, yes semi-skimmed IS demi-creme (see the photo of ingredients on the label). My hand blender is just a cheap Moulinex one I picked up years ago in Carrefour. It’s a horrible yellow colour and was hoping it would die on me to get a lovely fancy new one but no, it keeps on going…
I love smoked fish and this soup sounds delightful. I’m afraid poor old Bill might run for the hills if he came home to this for dinner, but I’d happily sip on a warm bowl of your lovely soup 🙂
I’m sure Bill would love the smell of this, though – and watching you eat it may turn him to like smoked haddie!
Thanks Christina. I can imagine you wanting to make Cullen Skink at this time of year too and bet you have yet another delicious version! It’s so comforting and love how it’s so easy yet has that wow factor. Let’s try and encourage more good smoked haddock in France and in California!
This is on our menu this week! LOVE a good Cullen Skink and yours with leeks sounds fabulous! Wish it was more readily available to us in the US, especially on the west coast! Your guests are quite lucky, to say the least!