Cullen Skink

Cullen skink is a thick Scottish soup made from at least smoked haddock, potatoes and onions, served as a starter at formal Scottish dinners as well as in everyday meals throughout the country. It originated in the fishing town of Cullen on Scotland's Moray coast, believed to have been created by local fishermen as a way to use their plentiful catches of haddock. The traditional recipe calls for smoked haddock, ideally the variety known as finnan haddie, simmered with potatoes and onions, with some cooks using milk instead of water or adding cream and butter, and some mashing the potatoes to thicken the soup further, traditionally served with bread or oatcakes stirred through. Cullen holds an annual Cullen Skink World Championship, a thirty-minute cooking competition for both traditional and inventive versions of the soup.