Flavors · Cullen

Cullen skink

Thick soup of smoked haddock, potato, onion and milk, from the fishing village of Cullen on the Moray coast in northeast Scotland. It began as a beef broth and came to be made with smoked fish, cheaper in the region.

Traditional dish from Cullen, Escócia

Also known as: Cullen skink soup

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Cullen skink — Cullen, the United Kingdom
Cullen skink
Cullen skink — Cullen, the United Kingdom
Cullen skink
Cullen skink — Cullen, the United Kingdom
Cullen skink
Cullen skink — Cullen, the United Kingdom
Cullen skink

Cullen skink — Cullen, the United Kingdom

Cullen skink is a thick, creamy soup. Smoked haddock is cooked with onion in milk or water; the potato is added in pieces and some of it is mashed to thicken the broth, and the flaked fish is returned to the pot at the end. Some recipes include a little heavy cream, and parsley is sprinkled on top. The flavor is mild and smoky.

The name comes from the village of Cullen, beside a bay on the Moray coast. Skink was the name for a beef broth. According to Scotland’s and Moray’s tourism bodies, by the late 19th century many families could no longer afford meat and began to use fish, which was cheaper and easier to find in a region that fished and smoked haddock. Over time the fish version became the dish named after the village.

Today Cullen skink is served across Scotland, as a starter in restaurants and cafés and at formal dinners. In Cullen, an annual competition brings together cooks who prepare the soup in two categories: traditional and variations.

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Where it comes from

Cullen , Escócia
Soup named for the village of Cullen on the Moray coast.

Ingredients

Smoked haddock; potato; onion; milk; sometimes heavy cream and butter; parsley; salt and pepper.

How it is eaten

Hot, in a deep plate or bowl, as a starter or light meal, served with bread or oatcakes.

When it is eaten

All year round, especially in the colder months.

Your questions

Questions about Cullen skink

What is Cullen skink made of?

Of smoked haddock, potato, onion and milk, sometimes with a little heavy cream and parsley.

Why is it called Cullen skink?

Cullen is the fishing village in Moray from which the soup originates. Skink was the name for a meat broth that in the region came to be made with smoked fish.

Is Cullen skink a starter or a main course?

It is usually served as a starter, but with bread it can also make a light meal.

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