Chicken Fricassee with Shiitake Mushrooms and a salute to Chef Jason Weiner of Almond Restaurants and Outstanding in the Field.

Jane, Jason and John

About a month ago, my friends, Jane Maguire and John Quigley of Long Island Mushroom Inc., invited me to attend a special event.  It was a dinner held at the EECO Farm in Easthampton.  It was hosted by a group called “Outstanding in the Field”, a quirky roving restaurant that travels all over North America staging dinners that bring together local farmers and foodies in outdoor pop-up settings.  Local food purveyors supply the raw ingredients.  Jane and John were, of course, responsible for the presence of their glorious mushrooms.  And Jason Weiner, who is the Chef and Co-Owner of Almond Restaurants—one in Bridgehampton and one in New York—did all the cooking. 

Photo by Kelli Delaney Kot

Outstanding in the Field arrives in a big, old red bus stocked with practically everything needed to create these farm feasts—with the exception of the food and the plates.  The diners bring the latter which makes for a wonderfully eclectic table setting.  Their crew sets up enormous long tables right next to the source: in this case at the East End Community Organic Farm.  The town of Easthampton owns the 42 acre site and then leases space to local organic farmers who share equipment and land. 

Photo by Kelli Delaney Kot

The Outstanding in the Field crew are as earnest and enthusiastic as our farmers and they put on a wonderful party.  There were fully 6 courses which Chef Weiner and his restaurant crew were somehow able to serve to 115 participants.  I had never heard of this particular event but I sat next to two Pennsylvania couples who had planned a week’s vacation just to be there. They were ‘camp followers’ who had been to other OITF dinners, one on a ranch, another on a mountaintop and one right on a beach.  To see where OITF will set up tables next, go to https://outstandinginthefield.com/events/north-american-tour/ 

Photo by Kelli Delaney Kot

Chef Weiner’s menu was heavy on our local catches paired with our beautiful produce.  But the grand finale was a terrific Chicken Fricassee which featured Jane and John’s fresh mushrooms, hydroponically grown and picked that morning at their mushroom farm.  As I sat there in the setting sun, I couldn’t think of a nicer way to spend an evening.  It was the sixth time OITF had worked with Jason and I could hardly wait for next year.  While this isn’t his recipe, it’s the one I made to salute him.  It’s no 30 minute meal.  But it’s a wonderful dinner party dish. The browned and braised chicken thighs sit atop the shiitake and onion mixture.  A flavorful broth accompanies them and the coup de grace is a lovely nutmeg scented light cream sauce. Just as Chef Weiner did, I paired it with some fresh local green beans.  And I used rice to sop up all the goodness of the sauce.  I served it at my final dinner party of the season, just before leaving for the city.  And I had enough left over to share with Andrew when I got home. Here’s the recipe.