Morels

Morels are mushrooms with a porous body that belong to the Morel family. They are included in the list of conditionally edible mushrooms, since they can be used as food after prolonged heat treatment.

The caps of the mushroom are ovoid-round in shape and yellow-brown in color. They differ in a cellular structure, grow from below to the leg and are hollow inside.

The legs of the morel are cylindrical, slightly expanding downwards. Their color is from white to yellow-brown. The pulp of the mushroom is white, rather brittle, has a mushroom aroma and a pleasant taste. Morels are hollow inside.

There are such types of morels:

It is also called real and edible. Such mushrooms have a spherical hat up to 8 cm in diameter, brown in color with large cells. They begin to ripen in May, bear fruit until mid-June. There are such morels on the edges, lawns with grass, in coniferous forests, in a clearing, under bushes, in deciduous forests and parks.

Such morels have narrow conical hats up to 10 cm high, covered with vertical folds, which are located on high legs (height from 5 to 15 cm). They grow from April to June in forests, glades and forest edges, in gardens, in kitchen gardens.

Its other names are cap and morel cap. A feature of this type of morels is the bell-shaped conical shape of the cap with shallow wrinkles.They can rarely be found next to a birch, aspen or willow.

Morels are a widespread species of mushrooms in Russia. They can be found everywhere in mixed and deciduous forests. Mushrooms appear on the edges, clearings, in mossy ditches. Morels are also found in gardens and parks. They grow in large numbers on the site of fires. In the southern parts of the country, these mushrooms grow in vegetable gardens and on lawns.

Collecting morels begins in March, as they appear immediately after the snow melts. The first morels are somewhat watery, so the collection is more often directed to May morels, which become stronger and more fragrant. Often these mushrooms grow in groups. They go to search for them in glades, in ravines, on edges, clearings, in places where there were forest fires.

The differences between these two mushrooms are:

• Leg length. In morels, the legs are elongated (they practically correspond to hats in length), and in the lines they are shortened.
• Internal structure. The morel is hollow inside, and there is a sinuous pulp in the lines.
• The appearance of the hat. In lines, they are more shapeless and similar to the brain, while in morels they are more similar to bee honeycombs.

• Morel refers to early spring mushrooms.
• The aroma of the pulp of morels is very pleasant, as is the taste of the mushroom.

100 g of morels contains:

Fresh morels contain:

• Nitrogenous substances (3%);
• Sugar (1%);
• Polysaccharides;
• aromatic substances;
• Vitamins C, B2, PP, B1.

The properties of morels are:

• Strengthening the muscles of the eyes.
• Prevention of clouding of the lens.
• Improvement in visual acuity.
• Increase appetite and improve digestion.
• Purification of lymph and blood.
• Tonic effect.

You can learn more about the beneficial properties and contraindications of morels from the following video program "About the most important thing", and also get a recipe for a nutritious soup with these mushrooms.

Morels are not eaten raw due to the presence of toxic substances that can be neutralized by prolonged drying or repeated boiling. The danger of morels is also related to the fact that they are very similar to other mushrooms that are unsafe for health - lines.

Treatment with morels is contraindicated in:

• pregnancy;
• Children's age (up to 12 years);
• Severe diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• breastfeeding;
• Individual intolerance.

Fresh juice from morels:

• Cures cataracts and glaucoma;
• Helps with epilepsy;
• Prevents clouding of the lens in old age and senile farsightedness;
• Strengthens the eye muscles.

• This type of mushroom is allowed to be eaten only after heat treatment (boiling followed by draining of water) or drying.
• Dried morels can be eaten three months after they have been dried.
• Morel in our country is classified as a mushroom of the 3rd category.
• Use morels boiled, stewed and fried.
• Morels are added to sauces and toppings.
• These mushrooms are not salted or pickled.
• Dried morel is used to make a powder that can be used to add a mushroom flavor to dishes.

These mushrooms are pre-boiled for 15 minutes, after which the water is drained and the mushrooms are processed in the desired way.Before cooking, these mushrooms are thoroughly cleaned and soaked in water for 1 hour. Boiled morels are washed with running water.

Fresh peeled morels are boiled for 15 minutes, rinsed under cold water and cut into slices. After salting, peppering and sprinkling the mushrooms with lemon juice, they are sent to a frying pan with oil, covered with a lid and fried for 20 minutes.

Pre-peeled, boiled and fried morels are wrapped in pancakes. Pancakes with mushrooms are fried until golden brown on all sides.

• Alcohol tincture on morels has an analgesic effect.
• This tincture is prescribed for diseases of the joints and back for external use.
• Also, alcohol tincture on these mushrooms is effective for blood diseases (it can purify the blood).
• An extract from morels is presented among pharmaceutical preparations (sold in capsules).
• In order to treat various diseases and restore vision, morels are recommended to be regularly eaten for a long time - at least six months.

Morels for such a tincture must be dried and ground. Chopped mushrooms are taken in the amount of 2.5 tablespoons, poured with vodka (500 ml) and corked. Infuse the product should be in the refrigerator for 14 days. The tincture is for external use only. It is not necessary to strain before use. Most often, this tincture is treated with a back and joints several times a day until the pain disappears. Places smeared with tincture are wrapped in woolen cloth.

Morels can be grown in a garden or forest in several ways. In the German way, the soil is sown with pieces of mushrooms, pouring ash on top.For the French method, fallen apples are needed - cake is made from them, a layer of which is covered with beds. In autumn, these beds are covered with leaves, and in spring the foliage is removed.

• Morel is one of the most ancient mushrooms. His mention is in the writings of Theophrastus, dated to the 4th century BC.
• The ancient Romans considered these mushrooms a delicacy.
• The French and Germans have been growing them in parks and old gardens since the mid-19th century.