Cullen skink with wholemeal soda bread

This is made possible by BBC Foods!

Ingredients

For the wholemeal soda bread

• 250g/9oz wholemeal flour
• 250g/9oz plain white flour
• 1½ tsp table salt
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 425ml/¾ pint buttermilk

For the Cullen skink

• 50g/1¾oz butter, plus extra to serve
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1.2 litres/2 pints full-fat milk
• 750g/1lb 10oz floury potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward), peeled and cut into 2cm/¾in cubes
• 450g/1lb undyed smoked haddock loin, skin and any bones removed
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

Before starting this, make sure to preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and grease a large baking tray.

1. For the soda bread, begin by sifting the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

2. Tip in the buttermilk and mix until you have a soft dough.

3. With minimum kneading, shape the dough into a 5–6cm thick disc.

4. Using a knife, cut a cross on the top cutting through about half of the dough.

   1. Dust the top with a little more flour.

5. Place on the greased baking tray and bake for about 30 minutes.

6. Crusty and the loaf sounds hollow when the bottom is tapped.

7. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

8. Meanwhile, to make the Cullen skink, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.

9. Once hot, add the onion and cook gently for 8 minutes until softened.

10. Add the milk and bring to a boil, tip in the potatoes and simmer for 10–15 minutes until very soft.

11. Using the back of a spoon, crush a few of the potatoes against the side of the pan help thicken the soup a little.

12. Add the smoked haddock to the pan and simmer for a further 4 minutes.

13. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper.

14. Serve sprinkled with a little more parsley with still-warm buttered soda bread alongside.

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