This picnic dinner highlights the magic of mushrooms in their many, versatile forms incorporating the food uniquely into each dish (except dessert). Choosing a single ingredient focuses the menu while allowing significant creativity, playfulness and diverse textures/flavors. Given the picnic nature, most of the dishes can be served cold, though I recommend insulating the tamales (in a cooler) to keep warm. I served this meal for my birthday dinner in Golden Gate Park during the glorious long evenings of summer. We had about 15 guests, 1 helper in the kitchen, and several friends who helped with set-up. We sent friends to set the park picnic tables in advance and then came with the food closer to meal time. This meal is elaborate and calls for careful planning and execution, but it is a showstopper!
Menu (all served buffet style):
Bites out as people arrive:
Tofu / Enoki Rice Paper Wraps with with Peanut Sauce (Minimalist Baker)
Crispy Maitake Mushrooms with Green Goddess Dip (Chrissy Teigen)
Served together for seated dinner:
Wild Rice Oyster & Trumpet Mushroom Salad (Minimalist Baker)
Miso Kale Cobb Salad with Crimini Mushroom "Bacon" (dressing: NYT Cooking, "bacon": Minimalist Baker)
Veggie Soba Noodles with Shiitakes
Caramelized Onion, Oyster Mushroom, Pesto Flatbread (used Bob Red Mills gfree flatbread mix)
Adobo Portobello Mushroom Banana Leaf Tamales (filling: Minimalist Baker, tamale recipe)
Plum Torte (NYT Cooking, subbed 1:1 gfree flour)
Set-up:
Reserve picnic tables: If possible in your local park, reserve picnic tables as early as possible. We brought an extra fold-up table to serve food.
Table setting:
Bring table clothes to cover picnic tables.
Cups -- I recommend using mason jars as they are inexpensive and reusable. Could also request folks bring water bottles.
Plates / silverware -- we did not have enough plastic plates to serve in the park, so we went to Goodwill in advance and purchased an amalgam of plates. Very low cost and we now have a collection for picnics! We have done the same for silverware for Friendsgivings, etc.
Cooler/beverages
Tupperware: we very delicately brought dishes in serving ware, but having tupperware on hand made clean up and transit home much easier. You can also serve in tupperware to make the whole process simpler.
Serving utensils
The Making of the Meal:
5+ Days Before: | Collect supplies (cups, table clothes, plates, etc.) and reserve tables at park, if possible. |
4 Days Before | Grocery store run. Make sure you go somewhere with good mushrooms! Make physical menu and any other decor items. |
3 Days Before | Make (1) peanut sauce for spring rolls, (2) soba noodle sauce, (3) mushroom green goddess dip. |
2 Days Before | Make (1) salad toppings: make mushroom bacon & crispy chickpeas, and (2) salad miso dressing. |
Day Before | Make (1) plum torte, (2) tamale mushroom filling, (3) do some veggie chopping if you have time. |
Day of | Most of the cooking will happen today, but all of the prep throughout the week will greatly cut down. I recommend a partner in the kitchen for this menu! Start early and stay relaxed. |
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