Even though it has been traditionally prepared all along the coast, Cullen skink is a dish originating from the fishing village of Cullen in Northeastern Scotland. This thick and creamy fish soup is typically based on smoked haddock cooked with milk, leeks, onions, and potatoes which provide the filling bulk.
Some recipes specify the use of Arbroath smokies, although just about any smoked white fish will do. Cullen skink will go hand in hand with a glass of dry white wine, but to indulge in a true Scottish feast, try pairing it with Scotch whisky.
MOST ICONIC Cullen Skink
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The name of this traditional Scottish rooster and leek soup came into use in the 18th century, but the dish itself is said to date as far back as the 16th century. Back then, cock-a-leekie was cooked with the addition of onions, prunes, and even raisins.
The dish was most likely served as a two-course meal; first the broth, then meat. Also dubbed as cockie leekie, this Scottish classic was made famous for being one of the two choices of soup on the menu from the last first-class luncheon served on April 14, 1912 aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic.
Scotch broth is a hearty soup made with lamb meat, pearl barley, and an assortment of vegetables such as leeks, onions, carrots, and peas. Traditionally, the soup was especially popular on New Year's Day and on cold winter days. During those times, the meat would be removed and consumed separately, but today, Scotch broth is prepared as a one-pot meal.
It is believed that the soup tastes even better if reheated the next day, when all of the flavors fully develop.
MOST ICONIC Scotch Broth
This classic curry soup originated in the 18th-century British Raj, the colonial regime of India. Mulligatawny takes its name from the Tamil miḷaku-taṇṇīr which literally translates to 'black pepper water.' Originally, the local Madras recipe on which the soup was based included only vegetables, spices, and rice, whereas later British versions added various meats, mostly veal or chicken.
Modern mulligatawny recipes tend to be even more complex, so the soup is now often made with the addition of lentils, apples, coconut milk, and sometimes even lemon juice. Eaten with a large quantity of boiled rice, this substantial meat-based soup becomes a meal in itself and is traditionally enjoyed with a dollop of tangy sour cream.
MOST ICONIC Mulligatawny
The traditional Welsh leek and potato soup was once truly the poor man’s broth. Unlike the classic dish of Welsh lamb with leeks and root vegetables that anyone outside of Wales considers to be cawl, this humble soup originally contained no meat, not even a single bone, although today it is most often made with chicken stock.
Cawl cennin is seasoned with a good grind of black pepper and typically served with a dollop of cream and some freshly made crusty bread spread with Welsh salted butter.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Cream of watercress is a traditional soup made with a base of watercress, the most British of greens. Other ingredients include chicken stock, heavy cream, onions, butter, and salt. The onions are sautéed in butter over medium-low heat, and the watercress is then added to the pot and cooked until fully wilted.
The mixture is puréed until smooth, then poured into a pot with the cream. The soup shouldn’t boil, so it’s important to keep the flames low. Before serving, cream of watercress soup is simply seasoned with salt, then enjoyed while still hot.
MOST ICONIC Cream of Watercress Soup
This hearty Scottish soup is made with potatoes that are boiled in milk with leeks or onions. Tattie drottle was known as a staple in the traditional Scottish diet, particularly in rural areas. Cream, oatmeal, and simple vegetables are sometimes added for extra flavor and body, while the creamy potato soup itself pairs well with fresh, salted, and smoked fish.
Although tattie drottle is a simple and humble creation, this warming wintertime dish is even served at the finest Burns Night suppers.
MOST ICONIC Tattie Drottle
MAIN INGREDIENTS
London particular is a traditional soup made from dried whole peas or yellow or green split peas. They're combined with ham, ham hock, bacon, or gammon, while vegetables such as carrots, celery, and onion are added for extra flavor. The traditional London version uses yellow split peas exclusively.
When properly prepared, the soup should be so thick that a spoon can stand upright in it. London particular is typically served as an appetizer or main dish with crusty bread on the side. The name of the dish comes from the thick smog with a yelowish tinge by gas street lamps, which looks similar in texture and color to pea soup.
MOST ICONIC London particular
Red conch chowder is a Caribbean dish that's especially popular in The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and the Florida Keys. The conch is pounded with a hammer in order to make it tender, and it's then chopped and combined with onions, celery, green onions, hot peppers, tomatoes and tomato paste, potatoes, beans, and herbs and spices.
The combination is boiled for a few hours until all the flavors blend together. This red-colored chowder is light and brothy when first prepared, but if it's left overnight and eaten the next day, its consistency slightly thickens due to the starches coming from the potatoes.
MOST ICONIC Red Conch Chowder
View moreAberaeron broth is a traditional soup originating from Wales. It's usually made with a combination of bacon, beef, white cabbage, potatoes, leeks, carrots, parsnips, oatmeal, and seasonings. The cabbage is washed and shredded, and all the other vegetables are peeled and cut.
The bacon and beef are diced. The meat and the vegetables (except the leeks) are placed in a large saucepan, covered with water, seasoned, and slowly simmered for about two hours. The leeks are added near the end of cooking, and the soup is then served while still hot.
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