Cullen Skink.

[Gruney]

I saw a recipe for this in the Guardian, several weeks ago, and quite fancy making it - it's aSue Lawrence recipe, and I've got all the necessary to make it later today.
What I'm querying is the addition of the milk, which it says add at the end. I have a small cook book of Scottish recipes by Claire MacDonald, from Skye, which has been extremely successful for me - it states Cullen Skink should be served very hot.
The Sue Lawrence gives me the impression you add the milk cold. Can this be true - or am I just an idiot who should know the milk should be heated first?

500g undyed smoked haddock, skin on
A bay leaf
Knob of butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 leek, washed and cut into chunks
2 medium potatoes, unpeeled, cut into chunks
500ml whole milk
Chives, chopped, to serve

1. Put the fish into a pan large enough to hold it comfortably, and cover with about 300ml cold water. Add the bay leaf, and bring gently to the boil. By the time it comes to the boil, the fish should be just cooked – if it's not, then give it another minute or so. Remove from the pan, and set aside to cool. Take the pan off the heat.

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2. Melt the butter in another pan on a medium-low heat, and add the onion and the leek. Cover and allow to sweat, without colouring, for about 10 minutes until softened. Season with black pepper.

3. Add the potato and stir to coat with butter. Pour in the haddock cooking liquor and bay leaf, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the potato is tender.

4. Meanwhile, remove the skin, and any bones from the haddock, and break into flakes.

5. Lift out a generous slotted spoonful of potatoes and leeks, and set aside. Discard the bay leaf. Add the milk, and half the haddock to the pan, and either mash roughly or blend until smoothish.

6. Season to taste, and serve with a generous spoonful of the potato, leek and haddock mixture in each bowl, and a sprinkling of chives.

[StokeySue]

When Felicity Cloake reviewed recipes for her “perfect” version she singled out Sue Lawrence’s method of adding the milk at the end for approval, so it seems it works well. Adding the milk early can lead to curdling, But I’d assume you heat gently, as you are adding in the cooled fish too

[suffolk]

Yes I'd follow the recipe ... I'd just ensure that the milk wasn't 'fridge cold' ... warm the finished dish gently if it seems too cool, but don't bring to the boil or it may curdle as Sue says. Enjoy ... Cullen Skink is one of my favourite supper dishes

[Gruney]

Thanks a lot Sue - that was the article I was refering to.

[Gruney]

Thanks Suffs - we cross - posted.

[suffolk]

[liketocook]

I'm with Sue Lawrence. I always add the (cold) milk at the end then heat it gently (don't boil) for a few minutes before serving. The most important thing though is to use undyed fish and generous knob of butter. I tend to not bother removing chunky bits but give pan a quick blitz with a hand blender so that it's a mix of smooth & bits. I cullen skink.

[Gruney]

All you have to do is ask! Thanks all - very much appreciated.

[wargarden]

liketocook wow I didn't think is was humane to use live fish in any dish.
If fish was "undyed" it must be alive.

[suffolk]

Sorry wargarden ... that joke doesn’t work

Dyed ... having been coloured with a dye

Died ... past tense of verb to die

[wargarden]

suffolk the pun worked.

[suffolk]

I’m afraid I disagree.

It would work better if spoken, but this is the written word and it doesn’t work IMHO

[Pepper Pig]

[Seatallan]

Whether undyed or undead, if the end result is Cullen Skink count me in. One of my all-time fave things....

[northleedsbhoy]

[miss mouse]

I use a Gordon Ramsey recipe, the fish is poached in milk and the resulting stock used to continue cooking the rest of it with some extra stock, it works well with no curdling perhaps because the milk is well diluted. A quick a review of online recipes find manyy using the same method. Shallots are favoured over onions.

[scullion]

[aero280]

This is a punner...