vHUFFS continued from page 19 really strong, and then you get to the middle which is a little milder.” The mussel’s role in a meal depends on the diner or the establishment, Steve said. “As far as tapas, in most restaurants you can get mussels either as a side or as a meal,” he said. “Often, the mussels come with white wine, butter and garlic.” For our meal, the curry juice that bathed the mussels can take on other uses at the same meal, Tracy said. “You can take the juice and dip butter in it, or you can dip your bread in it. Either way, it’s great and has a taste that really holds a kick,” she said. The spicy kick often calls for a libation to go with it, Tracy said. “With the mussels, you can have wine, a drink, whatever you want,” she said. “Anything goes with tapas.” In the spirit of the meal, no hard-and-fast rules govern which drinks go with a particular tapa, Steve said. “Tapas go with anything. You can have red wine, white wine, beer or any liquor,” he said. “As long as you’re not stupid about it, you could make any liquor or beer to go with 80 percent of tapas.” When it comes to wine, Steve called for tossing out the rules of what’s “proper” with any particular meal. “There is food sexism. People make fun of white wine. They’re saying it’s more or less the feminine wine,” he said. “That’s bull. You should choose the wine that fits the palate of the people’s you’re serving and the wine that matches the food on the table.” While Steve enjoys beer and cocktails, Tracy prefers wine with her meals. “I like red wine, no matter what I’m eating. I just like it,” she said . Can You Tapa This? The meal was just beginning. We enjoyed stuffed mushrooms, stuffed shells, grilled asparagus and smoked chick peas (also known as garbanzo beans). Again, Steve pointed to a good buy on shells. “You can get two for $4, which makes for a meal — three would make a big meal — that you can fill with stuffing, crab, clams or scallops,” he said. The Portobello mushrooms, combined with any number of fillings, make for a satisfying treat, Steve said. “I like a pair of stuffed mushrooms with a salad, and that’s my meal,” he said. Tracy encouraged the use of shortcuts in the kitchen, particularly with the use of prepared foods. “If you don’t want to slice up carrots, buy shredded carrots. If you don’t want to shred cheese, buy it already shredded. And If you don’t want to worry about preparing shrimp, just buy cooked shrimp,” she said. “You don’t have to tie up the kitchen or the house in putting this together. If you buy something ready to go, it cuts down on your prep time. It’s O.K. to cheat!” The Huffs considered this meal one of their easiest in terms of prep time and ingredients. Even the actual cooking was limited to one area. “We had everything in the smoker except the onion, the chick peas and the oranges and carrots,” Steve said. Tracy has taken the tapa to a different level, creating pot pies as an offering. She turns to professional chefs for other ideas. “I like to use a lot of things that the ‘Pioneer Woman’ uses on the Food Channel,” Tracy said. “She has a lot of recipes that make for a really good foundation that you can build on for your own meals.” Tracy enjoys exploring new food ideas. “I like things a bit rustic. I’m very much into it. And I find recipes that work really well when you’re busy,” she said. “If you plan ahead, you can buy things like frozen peas and corn when they’re on sale and use them later for things like the pot pies.” Tapas can be healthy as well as delicious and filling, Steve said. “This meal didn’t have a lot of fat or sodium. Most of the fat come from the cheese stuffed into the mushrooms,” he said. “The beauty of tapas is that you can tailor it for any tastes or dietary needs. We can have seafood, imitation crab, vegan or vegetarian.” Chick peas provide a rich source of fiber and protein, and they can be low in sodium. But what if you’re concerned about, well, flatulence after enjoying a healthy serving of chick peas at a gathering? Steve didn’t seem overly concerned about a faux pas. It’s more important to do what comes naturally, he said. “We’re not shy people. If someone is concerned, I suppose you can take Beano before the meal. But otherwise, just let it out,” he said with a shrug. “I mean, everybody loves hummus, and what’s the big ingredient in hummus? You got it.” Something New The Huffs’ enjoyment of the Spanish tapas reflects their desire to literally sample new worlds when it comes to food. Many people who may have been reluctant in the past when it came to experimenting are vHUFFS continued on page 25 Proudly Serving You Since 1948! “Your Single Source” •HVAC • Plumbing • Electrical 808 W. 23rd, Yankton, SD | 20vHERVOICEvMAY/JUNE 2019 605.665.2895