Cullen Skink

[Richard]

Retsum/LP,

Here is the recipe you's have been chatting about.
This is straight from my "Scottish Fish Recipes" book.
I've never attempted to make it because I don't like the smell from it,
so I can't tell you how well it turns out.
Here It is, word for word:
This hearty fisherman's soup was traditionally always made with Finnan Haddock.
1 large Finnan haddock or 2 large smoked haddock fillets.
1 onion (chopped).
1 pt full cream milk or buttermilk.
Half pound cooked mashed potato.
1 oz butter.
Salt & pepper.

Place the haddock in a large pan with sufficient water to cover.
Bring to the boil.
Add the chopped onion and simmer for 10-15 minutes until fish is cooked.
Remove the fish, retaining the stock.
Flake the flesh from the bones & skin.
Set aside the flesh and return the bones & skin to the stock.
Re-boil the stock for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and strain into a clean pan.
Add the flaked fish and return to the heat.
Add the milk.
Season, with salt , to taste.
Bring to the boil for a few minutes.
Stir in the mashed potato, butter & pepper to taste.
Serve Immediately.

Sorry folks, forgot to state: Above ingredients serves 4.

[morag]

My recipe is much the same, Richard but says to boil the milk separately before adding, and just enough mashed tatties to get the consistency you want...getting hungry! lol..never had this either. Worst thing I ever cooked that smelled up the hoos was squid, for a stray pregnant cat that came into our garden. My husband and kids abandoned me until the reek left! (cat loved it though!)

[Richard]

Thank's for the extra tips Morag.
I'll paper-clip them into ma wee book.
I've lived by the sea for most of my life, until recent years, and most Scottish coastal towns will have
at least one "hotel/bar" type place.
I used to hate, when out walking, passing these places. The stench would make me step it up a gear.
Didn't get it so much in the summer months, It's mainly a winter dish.
Which in Scotland, is most of the year. lol.
Cullen Skink has a far stronger, and more sickly, stench to it than squid.
And I have a very strong stomach.
So, I would strongly recommend to anyone planning on cooking this, unless you have a high tollerance
level, of strong odours, wait until you've experienced this at a restaurant or hotel, before cooking it
at home.

BTW Morag: Well done with the cat.

[morag]

Richard, I don't think I prepared the squid, seems like you have to pull them inside out and backwards!, just put the whole things in there, heads, tails, insides...yeuch, it's probably the worst smell ever! Probably was a treat for te cat after lizard! lol!

[little plum]

Richard, that recipe looks good, it would still be interesting if Retsum could get one from Cullen.
I first read your post late last night when I came off duty, I gave a shout through to the lounge and asked my good lady to purchase smoked Haddock from my favourite fish shop in Kilwinning. I think women must have a 6th sense, she seemed to take pleasure in telling me that the shop closed at the end of last month.
Do I take a chance and go to a supermarket, not sure.

A wee tip, if your sea produce smells that bad, it's not fresh.

[morag]

The squid smelled fine before it got into the hot water! But seriously, if I walk past the fish counter and it smells fishy I won't buy. Have had good luck here with frozen fish, where it's caught, dressed and frozen on the boat. There's a big seafood market in Santa Monica I'd like to get to, and oriental or Mexican supermarkets..we have a few here..are a good bet.

[Meg]

Or just use the gas ring on your barbeque if you have one and cook it outside!

Meg

[Richard]

LP: Understand completely, If he manages to get you one from Cullen, would you let us know if there
are any differences to it. Will be interesting to see, and I can make a note of them.
I hear you loud and clear on that supermarket dilemma. I love my seafood and for most of my life I've
been used to getting it, one way or another, sourced locally. Sometimes only minutes from sea to pan,
Mmmmm. Now, I eat very little of it but when I do, it comes from the shops and It's nothing compared
to the real-deal. Especially my favourite, scallops done in butter and added to my fry-up.
Need to stop, am salivating worse than a rabid dug.

Morag: Aye, there's a bit of flaffin aboot, when it comes to squid, for very little reward.
Unless you can conjure up a nice sauce. Even then I wouldn't bother. I'd do exactly as you did, feed the cat.
I think the smell, that puts me off, is a combination of the boiling buttermilk mixing with the smell of the
boiled fish. It has to be because boiled fish, on it's own, is neither here nor there with me.

Good Idea Meg.
Especially If you don't get on with your neighbours.

[Retsum]

LP, it turns out that my wife's grandmother, whose father was a fisherman, often made Cullen Skink (fortunately my wife did not follow in her path). Thay lived in Portgordon, just along the road from Cullen.The main difference between what she did and the recipe Richard found, is that the potatoes were not mashed but remained as chunks and the smoked haddock started as fillets so there was no skeleton to boil up. I also discovered by visiting the Cullen community website that the BBC organized a competition in Cullen in 1999 to see who could produce the best dish of Cullen Skink. The winning recipe is here:
http://discovercullen.com/cullenskink.php

[Richard]

Thank's Retsum,
There seems to be a lot less fuss to this recipe that you've provided.
Also, the complete lack of buttermilk would suggest to me that the sweet, sickly, smell would be
almost, if not completely, non-existant.
I MIGHT even give this a try myself ?

BTW: Interesting to note that this was originally made with 'beef-shin' and not fish.

[little plum]

Retsum, thanks for that link in your post. When I get round to giving it a go I will use a combination of both recipes, ie drop the cornflower, this agent tends to produce a glutinous effect in curries/soups. I think I would use mashed potato for the right constituency and diced potato to give it body.
Cheers.

[little plum]

Watched the hairy bikers on tour last week, they were in the Moray area. Those that watch the programme will know that they cook a local dish alfresco and hand out samples of their endeavours to those watching. Their version of Cullen skink went down a treat with the locals, here's their version.

BBC - Food - Recipes : Cullen skink http://bbc.in/yafWIk