Bizarro

Many a moon ago, when once I lived in Seattle, my favorite restaurant was Bizarro. It was only a few blocks from where I lived, and the upside-down patio furniture hanging from the ceiling coupled with the smell of sauteed garlic seduced me.

It was just a neighborhood place back then, before it got write-ups in Zagat, before the proliferation of online food bloggers and chowhounds, when the Food Network was still a fledgling and most people had only heard of arugula ("It's a VEG-uh-tey-bul") from watching My Blue Heaven.

Back then the menu was subject to change, sometimes on a nightly basis. I remember adoring an appetized playfully called the "Fungichinni." I remember it as a glorified stuffed portobello mushroom. I liked it so much I came back three times in one week to introduce it to different friends. When it disappeared from the menu, I asked my server (who always remembered my name, and I regret that I've forgotten hers) what had happened. "The guys in the back say it's too much work to prepare," she said, punctuating her reply with a roll of her eyes towards the kitchen. To my dismay, it was never to return again.

One of my favorite dishes there was something they called the "Forest Floor Frenzy." Still on the menu, it is described as "wild mushrooms and walnuts foraged from the darkest woods melded with a cream sherry sauce," served with pasta.

It's been a long while since I've been able to make it back to Seattle, too long in fact. I have every intention of returning to Bizarro when I make my way back. Until then, here's my version of the dish I most miss.

Again, for Jen.

Forest Floor Frenzy as I remember it,

until I make it back to the Emerald City

4 boneless chicken breasts

olive oil

2 lb assorted fresh mushrooms*, sliced
OR

1 lb assorted fresh mushrooms*, sliced AND

2-3 oz assorted dried mushrooms*, reconstituted and drained (reserve liquid)

4-5 cloves garlic, crushed

3 sprigs fresh thyme OR

1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves

1/4 cup sherry**

3 tbsp butter

1/4 cup light cream or half and half at room temp or warmer

1/3 cup walnuts pieces, toasted

1. Season chicken liberally with salt. In a large saute pan over medium high heat, sear chicken breasts in olive oil, turning to cook on both sides. Remove from pan and let rest.

2. Return pan to medium low heat. Sweat garlic in 3 tbsp olive oil, seasoning well with salt. Cook for 3-5 minutes until garlic is aromatic. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. Return pan to high heat. Coat bottom of pan with oil and cook fresh mushrooms in a single layer (cook in batches if necessary) until they are well browned on the bottom side (several minutes). Stir and continue to cook, adding more oil if necessary. Season with salt at the end. Deglaze pan with sherry. Add rehydrated mushrooms(if using them), garlic and thyme.

4. Reduce heat to low and add the butter, stirring well to melt and incorporate. Slowly stir in light cream, mixing well to incorporate. Continue heating gently to just below a simmer, adding liquid from drained mushrooms (or some white wine or chicken broth) to thin sauce if desired. Correct seasoning if necessary.

5. Slice chicken and return to the pan to coat with the sauce. Finish with sherry just before plating if desired. Serve over fresh pasta with crusty garlic bread to sop up the sauce.

*I like a mix of portabello, shitake, porcini, crimini, morels, chanterelles,

and regular old button mushrooms

**If you don't have sherry, substitute madeira, port, or marsala.