Cullen Skink (Scottish Smoked Haddock Chowder) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

10 fluid ounces milk
1 small handful flat leaf parsley, about 1/2 cup
1 bay leaf
1 lb undyed smoked haddock
1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup mashed potatoes, leftover or cooked fresh
salt and white pepper

Preparation

Pour the milk into a large saucepan. Remove the leaves from the parsley and add the stalks to the milk. Finely chop the leaves and keep to one side. Add the bay leaf and the haddock to the milk.
Bring the milk to a gentle boil and cook for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave for 5 minutes for the herbs to infuse their flavour into the milk.
Remove the haddock from the milk with a slotted spoon and put to one side. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve and reserve the herb-infused milk.
Heat the butter in another saucepan, add the onions and cook gently until translucent about 5 mins, taking care not to burn them.
Add the milk to the onions, then add the potato and stir until totally incorporated into the milk and should be a thick, creamy consistency.
Flake the smoked haddock into meaty chunks taking care to remove any bones you may find. Add to the soup.
Add the chopped parsley leaves to the soup and bring to a gentle simmer and cook for a further 4 - 5 minutes. Do not over stir. If over stirred then you will break up the fish too much.
Taste the soup and add salt and pepper as needed, be careful with the salt, the fish will impart quite a salty flavour all on its own.
Serve hot with crusty bread.