A Meal Fit For Rabbie Burns

“Some hae meat and canna eat,

And some wad eat that want it,

But we hae meat and we can eat,

And sae the Lord be thankit.”

On or around January 25 poetry lovers and people of Scottish descent get together to celebrate the life of Scotland's national poet Robert Burns. This celebration includes a Burns supper, a meal of traditional Scottish cuisine, some Scotch whisky, and lots of readings of his works. Naturally, haggis will be a part of this meal, but there's more to Scottish cooking than offal meat and oatmeal cooked in an animal's stomach. Cullen skink is a fish chowder named after the town of Cullen on the coast in northeast Scotland. Try the recipe below if you're looking for a starter for your Burns dinner or a new winter comfort food.

Ingredients

400 g medium potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
300 mL water
250 g smoked haddock
250 mL whole milk
15 g unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
half a small bunch of parsley or chives, finely chopped

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion and fry for 5-8 minutes until they are translucent but not browned. Add the potatoes and the water and bring everything to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
2. Put the haddock in another pan and cover the fish with the milk. Cook gently for 5 minutes, or until just tender. Remove the haddock from the milk with a slotted spoon (reserving the milk), transfer it to a plate, and leave to it cool slightly. When it's cool enough to touch, flake the fish into large pieces, removing any bones.
3. Add the reserved milk and flaked haddock to the pan with the potato mixture and cook for another 5 minutes. Season and sprinkle over the parsley to serve.