Arbroath Skink

A variation on the traditional Scottish classic soup, Cullen Skink. Unlike any other type of fish soup, this one is an adaptation I made, and it has a slightly stronger flavour that Cullen Skink, but equally delicious. This one is made with something called an Arbroath Smokie, which is a whole haddock smoked to a stronger flavour than the commercially available ones, and comes from the town of the same name in Scotland. The recipe does not recognise the term Arbroath Smokie, but I am sure that anyone with roots in Scotland will recognise it immediately.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 2 pints soup

Ingredients

• 1  smoked haddock
• 2  onions
• 12  ounces potatoes
• 4  cloves
• 1  bay leaf
• 2  pints  whole milk
• 2  ounces butter
• 3  fluid ounces  double cream
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Put the milk in a pan, add the bayleaf, Cut one of the onions in half, and stud with two cloves in each half. Put these in the milk and simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the flavour. Add the Arbroath Smokie to the milk and continue to simmer for a further 5 or 6 minutes until the fish can easily be de-boned and flaked.
2. Whilst this is happening, peel the potatoes and dice finely, Chop the remaining onion finely.
3. Drain the milk through a sieve, discarding the onion and the bayleaf. Flake the fish, having discarded the skin, and make sure there are no bones left in it.
4. In a large pan, fry the chopped onion in the butter until it is soft, but not coloured.
5. Add the potatoes, and the reserved milk, and boil until the potatoes are cooked (approximately 10 minutes).
6. When these are cooked, whisk with a stick blender, or put into a blender, but you can leave the ingredients 'rough' rather than smooth. Now add the flaked fish, stir in the double cream and add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
7. This can also be made with left over mashed potatoes if you have them, as they just serve to thicken the soup.