A lot of patience and a little bit of creativity have proven to be the secret to making the most irresistible bowl of Cullen skink.
The Cullen Skink World Championships took place at the seaside spot today, with cooks from all over the UK battling to have their broths take top honours.
It was the first time in three years world class chefs had the chance to once again go head-to-head to make the perfect bowl of the beloved creamy soup.
This year’s competition was held at the village’s Seafield Arms Hotel, which took over from its usual venue at the Cullen Bay Hotel.
In what has become a really souped-up annual battle, the host’s very own head chef Luke Green scooped the prize for Cullen Skink with a twist.
The 49-year-old came top of the class in his first attempt at the competition by using a special recipe with fermented garlic and pickled vegetable salsa.
Mr Green’s secret ingredient, however, is his homemade stock from halibut bones, which is left for a day to soak up all of the flavours from the base before it’s served.
He said: “I’m not going to lie, everybody in the competition was pretty good so it was a bit of a surprise to win. I’m still in shock.
“It was really good atmosphere, but the best part was just watching everybody cooking. It was interesting to see how different everybody was going about the same dish.”
He added: “I’d really like to see some of the junior chefs to take part next year. I’ve got really good young talent in the kitchen and I think it would be great for them to give it a bash.”
What’s the secret to making the best traditional Cullen skink?
Meanwhile, Margaret Macrae, from Kyle of Lochalsh, defended her title for the best traditional recipe of Cullen Skink.
Mrs Macrae, who runs Buth Bheag’s Fisherman’s Kitchen, made history in 2020 by scooping both trophies for the first time since the launch of the competition in 2012.
She reckons what makes their Cullen Skink so delicious is the way they smoke the haddock used for the dish.
She said: “We’ve had a good run over the years and we were delighted that we got the award for the traditional one. It was tough competition so it was definitely a surprise.
“We smoke our own fish so we have total control over the flavour and we use beech that gives a really nice sweetness to it. I think that’s what makes a difference.
“I wasn’t surprised we didn’t win the twist, because there were some really delicious dishes this year – they were just really, really good.”
With a joyful giggle she added: “After trying all the recipes for the last two weeks, I’d be quite happy to take a break from it. I’m now looking forward to some steak.”
Cullen Skink World Championship in pictures:
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