Food & Fun With The Huffs vBy Randy Dockendorf For a special meal, Steve and Tracy Huff believe you sometimes need to put some mussel into it — or clams or any other kind of seafood. The Huffs have shared some of their favorite dishes featuring beef, pork, chicken and lamb. But for tonight’s gathering, it was time to savor the treasures of the sea. “It’s warmer weather, and we wanted to go with something lighter,” Steve said. “I appreciate the ease, nutritional value and good taste of seafood.” And when he says seafood, we’re not talking fish sticks or tuna salad. Tonight’s meal actually featured two entrees. One the one hand, a plate was filled with mussels and clams on a bed of linguini and greens, drizzled with a light sauce using olive oil or butter and chicken stock. On the other hand, we noshed on a shish kabob. The bamboo skewer was filled with shrimp and rainbow peppers providing a colorful display of red, yellow and orange. “In the Midwest, when we think of seafood, we think of surf and turf. We think of shrimp, crab or lobster paired with a steak or filet,” Steve said. “That’s great, but here we’ve combined mussels, clams and shrimp with pasta and greens for something really special.” And the local price is reasonable, Steve said, even in the nation’s heartland 1,500 miles from either coast. “We bought three pounds of mussels for $9, and it feeds six to eight people. You can’t beat it,” he said. Steve acknowledged that many people are leery of tackling seafood, worrying about preparing it incorrectly and even getting sick. He formerly numbered himself among that crowd. 18vHERVOICEvJULY/AUGUST 2019 “I was intimidated by seafood for the past 20 years, but I mastered how to cook and serve it. Now, I really enjoy it,” he said. “I learned a lot from Chef Staci (Stengle) at Hy-Vee (supermarket in Yankton). She graduated from culinary school and (world renowned chef) Julia Child spoke at her graduation. Can you imagine someone receiving their degree from Julia Child and who is now available for us here in Yankton?” As part of his learning process, Steve quickly learned the sign of bad seafood. “If your fish has a funny smell and color, throw it out and run the other way,” he said. “When it comes to mussels and clams, you need to make sure they are clean and free of sand or other debris. Your mussels should stay shut when you close their shell. If not, that’s a bad sign.” Keeping It Light Tracy sees seafood as a light alternative. She watches her health because of a family medical history. In particular, she works to cut down or eliminate sodium wherever possible. “For dinner, instead of pasta I may have greens with a veggie,” she said. “I follow the Food Network for ideas like the Pioneer Woman, who made vegetable lasagna using thinly sliced zucchini and squash. They also used homemade marinara. Today, I may puree tomatoes that we get from Hy-Vee or the farmer’s market.” As another example, she pulled out a long, thin bottle filled with olive oil. “I love olive oil, all different types,” she said. Making use of olive oil and other Mediterranean food can add a healthful flavor, Tracy said. “I found that lifestyle changes have made such a change for me,” she said. “And you can switch things up without losing any of the flavor.”