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Cullen skink pie

Name: Cullen skink pie
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 450ml full-cream milk; 284ml carton double cream; 750g thick, undyed smoked haddock fillet; 6 black peppercorns; 1 bay leaf; 225g floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper, diced; 2 small leeks, washed and thinly sliced; 50g butter; 45g plain flour, plus extra to dust; 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley; 500g chilled puff pastry; 1 medium egg yolk, beaten

Published: 31 Oct 05
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Our cullen skink pie is a reinvention of the classic Scottish soup recipe. Smoked haddock, potatoes and leeks are cooked in a creamy sauce then baked in the oven with a puff pastry lid.

Easy
November 2005

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Takes 1 hour to make, 25-30 minutes to bake, plus cooling and chilling

Our cullen skink pie is a reinvention of the classic Scottish soup recipe. Smoked haddock, potatoes and leeks are cooked in a creamy sauce then baked in the oven with a puff pastry lid.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 1251kcals
Fat: 86.5g (48.3g saturated)
Protein: 51.7g
Carbohydrates: 73.7g (9.7g sugars)
Salt: 5g

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Ingredients

450ml full-cream milk
284ml carton double cream
750g thick, undyed smoked haddock fillet
6 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
225g floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper, diced
2 small leeks, washed and thinly sliced
50g butter
45g plain flour, plus extra to dust
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
500g chilled puff pastry
1 medium egg yolk, beaten

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Method

Put the milk, cream, haddock, peppercorns and bay leaf into a pan, bring to the boil, cover, and simmer gently for 7 minutes. Lift the fish onto a plate to cool. When cool enough to handle, break into large flakes, discarding the skin and bones.
Strain the cooking liquor, return the liquid to the pan and add the potato. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes, then add the leeks and simmer for a further 1-2 minutes, until the leeks and potato are just cooked. Lift out with a slotted spoon and set aside with the haddock.
Melt the butter in a clean pan, add the flour and cook gently for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the cooking liquor and bring back to the boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and leave to simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in the fish, leeks, potato and parsley, and season. Spoon into 4 x 400ml ovenproof dishes or foil trays, each about 14cm x 11cm. Chill for 1 hour.

Divide the pastry into four. Roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface, to form a rectangle slightly larger than the top of the dishes or trays. Cut a thin strip from the edge of each piece, brush with a little water and press onto the rim of each dish or tray. Brush once more with water, then cover with the pastry. Press the pastry edges together to seal, trim away any excess pastry. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/ fan180°C/gas 6. Brush the beaten egg yolk over the top of each pastry lid. Cut a small slit in the centre and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden.