Mary Berry’s Best Cullen Skink Recipe (Award-Worthy!)
Mary Berry Cullen Skink with Leeks: This award-worthy smoked haddock chowder is a hearty, flavorful soup brimming with flaky fish and rich seafood notes, served with crispy pesto garlic bread.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 50 g (2 oz) butter
- 1 medium leek washed and thinly sliced
- 1 medium medium carrot peeled and chopped into 1 cm (½”) cubes
- 250 g (9 oz) old potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm (½”) cubes
- 40 g (1½ oz) plain flour
- 600 ml (1 pint) hot fish or vegetable stock
- 1 pinch Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 500 g (1 lb) undyed smoked haddock, skinned and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 600 ml (1 pint) full-fat milk
- 1 bunch fresh dill chopped
Pesto Garlic Bread:
- 2 Baguettes baked or ready to bake
- 50 g (2 oz) butter, softened
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 50 g (2 oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tbsp green pesto
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
For the Cullen Skink
- Heat the butter in a large pan.
- Add the leek and carrot, and fry over high heat for a minute or two.
- Add the potatoes and toss with the leeks and carrot.
- Sprinkle over the flour and cook for a few moments.
- Gradually blend in the stock, stirring over heat until thickened.
- Season with black pepper (avoid adding salt at this stage).
- Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Add the haddock and milk to the pan, and simmer gently for about 5 minutes until the fish is just cooked.
- Check seasoning and add the chopped dill.
For the Pesto Garlic Bread:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / Gas 6.
- Set aside 1 teaspoon of the butter.
- Combine the remaining butter with the garlic, Parmesan cheese, pesto, and parsley in a small bowl.
- Slice each baguette into six diagonal slices.
- Spread the mixture between each slice on both sides, then reassemble the loaves on a foil-covered baking tray.
- Spread the reserved butter over the top of the loaves.
- Bake for about 8-10 minutes until the loaves are browned and hot.
- Enjoy this wonderful, substantial soup, which is a meal in itself when paired with pesto and garlic bread.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
- Cooking Tips:
- Make fish stock in 20 minutes using smoked haddock; skin and flake the fish.
- Strain stock through a sieve after boiling with onion to remove bones.
- Adjust soup thickness by adding flour or mashing potatoes for a thicker texture
- Storing Cullen Skink
-
- Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
- Make ahead: Refrigerate prepared soup up to 1 day; reheat gently before serving.
-
-
Serving Suggestions for Cullen Skink
- Enjoy with garlic pesto bread or oatcakes for soaking up the soup.
- Pair with a green salad dressed in tangy vinaigrette to balance richness.
- Serve with Cranachan, a Scottish dessert of whipped cream, honey, raspberries, and toasted oats.
- Fish: Use undyed smoked haddock; substitute with cod or trout.
- Vegetables: Optionally add carrots and leeks; traditional recipes omit them.
- Potatoes: Cube old potatoes for their firm texture; try sweet potatoes or cauliflower.
- Dairy: Substitute whole milk with low-fat milk and reduce butter for a lighter soup.
- Seasoning: Use stock, fresh dill, salt, and pepper.
- Butter: Substitute with vegetable oil; use flour or gluten-free alternatives.