In the kitchen with: Sarah Tuck

This week, we're in the kitchen with dish Editor Sarah Tuck. Sarah is fond of scrambled eggs, and an avid believer in balance and being bold.

Successful blogger Sarah Tuck, of Stuck in the Kitchen, was appointed Editor of dish in April 2019. Previous to that, she was a regular dish contributor and full-time freelancer. Her best-selling cookbook, Coming Unstuck, was released in 2017 and she has another on the way. 

Your favourite recipe you cook for yourself?
Scrambled eggs – soft and delicious with a wee bit of sea salt and some toasted sourdough…mmmm…..

The one thing you always have in your fridge?
Apart from wine(!), celery for my daily celery juice – it’s all about balance!

If you could impart one piece of cooking knowledge to everyone, what would it be?
Don’t be scared about cooking – it should be fun! As long as you follow the recipe you’ll be okay (let the recipe developer do the stressing). All you need to do is enjoy the process and then sharing the results.

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A truly impossible question… can it have seasoning? Avocado with sea salt..?

Can you recall the moment when you knew you wanted to pursue a career in food?
Absolutely – when I saw a professional at work and knew with certainty that I could do it too!

Your go-to dinner party meal?
Curries – because I can offer a variety of different flavour profiles and proteins – beef, fish, chicken, prawn, lamb etc – and make everything in advance. Plus who doesn’t love a good curry night?

Who is your food hero?
Jamie Oliver – for what he tried to do with eating/food in schools in the United Kingdom and United States.

What music, if any, do you like to listen to while cooking?
I ALWAYS listen to music while cooking. Often it will depend on what I’m cooking and in the mood for... everything from old-school Sade to The National.

Biggest kitchen disaster?
Taking a special occasion cake out of the oven. The bottom of the tin fell out. As did the cake, all over the floor... everywhere.

Your guilty pleasure?
Farro broccoli bites – which I’m pretty sure are 90 per cent cheese – I love them heated up with a little avocado and some toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds

In all your travels, where have you experienced the best food?
In Bologna - at All’Osteria Bottega – so simple but utterly delicious: artichoke hearts marinated in olive oil and a little rosemary, finely shaved prosciutto, spring lasagne with slow-cooked wild pork shoulder, spinach and ricotta and tortellini filled with duck liver and shredded duck meat finished in a little duck fat. Phwoar! Then zabaglione semifreddo and a pannacotta/créme caramel hybrid and a glass of Nocino, a northern Italian liqueur made from green walnuts steeped in alcohol – thick, dark and gorgeous.

Is there one cookbook you go back to time and time again?
[laughs] Coming Unstuck...

The kitchen utensil you can't live without?
Two – microplane zester and garlic crusher. Make that three – I can’t cope without my favourite knife.

You're currently craving?
Coffee (it's 10:44am so…)

Any advice to new cooks?
Be bold! Every ornery, old, knowledgeable cook was once a novice. Practise, take risks, and above all enjoy yourself.