Yes... I know what some of you were thinking, but this soup has absolutely no connection whatsoever to a particular bit of popular young adult romantic fiction set in the Pacific Northwest. The name actually comes from the coastal town in Scotland named Cullen. A skink is a soup less hearty than a chowder but more hearty than a bisque. Regardless of the origins of the name, it is a delicious soup either as a starter or served with a warm, crusty loaf of bread as a meal by itself.
I cobbled together a couple of different recipes for this traditional soup, preferring especially to add considerably more vegetables than most of the recipes required. I like my soup either thick or thin, and most of the recipes that I found described something weirdly in between--a rich broth punctuated only by a few bits of fish and vegetables. I just can't see the point in that. Besides the substitution of the smoked salmon for the smoked haddock, you can use vegetable broth in the place of the fish stock. Fish stock is also hard to come by, and if you don't want to make your own, the more neutral vegetable broth won't clash with the smoked salmon the way chicken or beef would.
The best part of this recipe is that it makes excellent leftovers. I am pretty confident, in fact, that it is even better the next day. Enjoy!
Cullen Skink -- Yield: 8 main dish servings or 12 starter servings.
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 leeks, well rinsed and white parts chopped
3 quarts fish stock (or vegetable broth)
6-8 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 lb. smoked haddock (or smoked salmon)
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste (1-1 1/2 tsp. depending on the saltiness of the broth)
1/4 cup heavy cream (or sour cream)
Saute leeks in the vegetable oil until wilted. Add stock, potatoes, fish, and spices. Boil for 15 minutes. Remove fish from the pan with a slotted spoon and when slightly cooled, remove and discard the skin and flake the meat, adding the meat back into the pot. Stir in the cream and heat through. Serve hot.
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