Russula

Today we will talk about the most common mushrooms in our country - russula. They have excellent taste, useful properties, they are widely used in cooking.

Russula belongs to the lamellar genus. Family - russula. It includes about thirty varieties. Our today's hero is deservedly called the most common edible mushroom. It is difficult to find a person who has not tried or at least not heard about russula.

They grow mainly in coniferous and deciduous forests. They appear in June, but the best period for collection is from early August to September.

Mushroom caps are different as it depends on the species. There are pinkish russula, yellow, green and so on. Let's take a closer look at the varieties of fungus.

This is an edible mushroom with an easily removable skin for 2/3 of the cap. The hat itself is green in color, can be depressed or convex, the surface is sticky. The stem is cylindrical, almost completely white. There are grooves on the edges of the cap. The pulp is brittle, white in color, has a characteristic bitter taste. Before use, it is recommended to boil it to get rid of bitterness. You need to collect young individuals, in which the edges are lowered.

The hat has a bright yellow color, the surface is dry, the shape is flat or convex. The stem is white, but turns gray as the fungus grows. The pulp resembles cotton wool in structure, white.Orange-yellow under the skin, darkens when cut. An edible variety of russula that is best boiled or salted. After cooking, the flesh becomes dark. It is recommended to collect young mushrooms, in which the edges are lowered.

The skin is removed by 2/3 of the cap. The cap itself can have a dry or sticky surface, green or brown in the center, and predominantly purple-gray along the edges. The flesh is white, but may have a purple hue, cotton-like. The taste is not caustic, the structure is strong. The leg is white, dense, but eventually becomes hollow. Perhaps the best variety of russula in terms of taste. It is recommended to cook, salt and pickle

It is an inedible variety of mushroom. The hat has a convex shape, slightly depressed, red shades and shiny. The stalk at the base is predominantly pink. A young mushroom has a spherical cap. The pulp is white, brittle, the taste is burning. Unpleasant taste is the reason for inedibility. Plus, it can cause gastrointestinal upset.

Edibility is not precisely defined, therefore salting is allowed, but only after a very long soaking. The hat has a convex shape, then the center is pressed in, the color is straw yellow. The edges of the fungus are initially smooth in structure, but over time they acquire stripes. The flesh is pale yellow, pungent and acrid.

It has a barrel-shaped stem, a strong structure, a whitish tint with an admixture of brown. The cap is smooth, ocher-yellow. At first, the shape is convex, but over time it becomes prostrate. The pulp is dense structure, white, brittle, slightly darker on the cut. The taste is quite pungent. This is a conditionally edible variety of russula, which is boiled and salted.

The leg is club-shaped, firm, but sometimes it can be hollow.The color is pink or white. The hat is fleshy, convex in shape, slightly squeezed in the middle. The edges are blunt. The pulp is white, dense in young mushrooms, but becomes loose over time. It has a characteristic fruity odor. This is an edible species that is boiled and salted.

Expanded leg to the base, first solid, then hollow. The structure of the stem is fragile, the color is whitish or yellowish. The hat is initially convex, but then becomes prostrate. Color brownish-gray or yellowish-gray. The flesh is white or yellow, brittle. The edges of the cap are ribbed, thin. Edible look.

The hat has a wine-red color, orange or black. The surface is shiny. At first, its shape is hemispherical, but with age it becomes depressed. The leg is white, club-shaped. The pulp is white in color with a characteristic fruity odor and a brittle structure. Edible look.

It has a dense, white leg. The hat is flat-convex, may have a pink, reddish or brownish uneven color. The pulp is dense and white, the taste is not caustic at all. Perhaps one of the most delicious russula, which is boiled for further consumption, is great for drying, pickling, salting and cooking second courses.

The leg has a white color, brownish scales at the base. In a mature mushroom, the hat becomes prostrate. Prior to that, matte, fleshy, hemispherical. The pulp is white in color, dense in texture, can be a little spicy, but not pungent in taste. You can safely call one of the most delicious varieties of russula. Suitable for salting, pickling, drying.

The leg is white, may have a reddish tint. As it grows, it becomes brownish.The cap of young individuals is hemispherical, while in older individuals it is wide, brown or burgundy. The center is usually darker. The pulp is white, has a characteristic smell of shrimp or herring. Before use, it is necessary to boil for a long time to eliminate the unpleasant odor. Suitable for salting and marinating.

This mushroom grows in almost all forests. He loves the neighborhood with moss, edges, clearings. But most often grows on roadsides. Russula begins to be collected in June, and the peak of the season is August-September.

Today, science distinguishes about 30 varieties of this fungus that grow in Russia.

I would like to talk about some of the features and facts associated with this mushroom and its varieties.

• There is one theory according to which the mushroom was named. It is based on the fact that when salted, the mushroom quickly becomes suitable, while the rest of the mushrooms require at least a few days. In this regard, russula can be used supposedly in its raw form.
• You need to look for mushrooms in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests. They are not uncommon in swamps. You can go after them in May, and end the season in October. The main condition for the possibility of their search is rains.
• On the inside of all russula there are white plates, and all legs are white. They do not have rings, films and scales. After cutting, the mushrooms remain white.
• During the collection, it is important to take into account the peculiarity of the fungus. They are extremely fragile. Therefore, they are collected, as a rule, separately from other types of mushrooms.
• To make it easier for yourself to clean the russula, pour boiling water over them before processing.
• It is easy to remove the film from the mushroom, but it is not always worth doing.This is explained by the fact that the film will not allow the mushroom to fall apart during cooking.
• If the taste of the mushroom turned out to be bitter, you have a caustic russula in front of you. To eliminate this taste, you need to sprinkle them with salt, put them in the refrigerator overnight, and boil them the next day.
• The bitter taste after cooking indicates the need to remove the film from the hat. Even if this does not help, drain the water, fill in a new one and boil the mushrooms for another 20 minutes.

You can buy such mushrooms only from private traders, mushroom pickers who came to the market to sell the harvested crop. The most important thing is to learn how to choose them correctly.

The fact is that russula is often confused with pale grebe. Now we will tell you how to avoid such a mistake.

Choose the most dense mushrooms, avoid dry and old individuals. The best in terms of quality are yellow and blue-green russula. This is perhaps a real delicacy. Many believe that these varieties are suitable for eating raw.

Watch the following video about russula mushrooms, how best to collect them and what to make of them.

Salted and pickled mushrooms can be consumed within 12 months. Dried ones can last more than a year.

It is extremely important that even after drying, the russula does not lose such important dietary fibers and amino acids. Only protein leaves, which leaves about 30-40% of the original amount

Everything here looks interesting and useful. This is a dietary product, from which, however, you can get significant benefits.

For 100 grams of product there are:

These mushrooms are very rich in useful elements, vitamins and minerals. This determines the abundance of useful properties, as well as pleasant taste.

Of the main vitamins that are beneficial to humans and present in russula, we can distinguish:

• Vitamin PP;
• Vitamins B1, B2;
• Vitamin C;
• Vitamin E.

As for minerals, it should certainly be noted here: Fe, K, P, Na, Mg, Ca.

• It just so happened that nature chose russula to enrich them with vitamins PP and B2. They are of great importance for human health and the functioning of our body.
• Burning-caustic and purple russula act as an antibacterial agent, help to cope with abscesses.
• They are very useful for those who are faced with serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Due to the low calorie content of the mushroom, it is perfect for those who are struggling with being overweight.
• Russula is nutritious, creates a feeling of fullness, after which you do not want to eat. As a result, they help in the fight against obesity.
• They are recommended to eat to prevent the formation of blood clots, as well as provide protection against blood clots.
• With the help of russula, milk is curdled, creating an incredibly healthy fermented milk product.It is useful for people who suffer from problems with the heart and blood vessels.

There are several contraindications for people who should not consume these types of mushrooms. Namely:

• Individual intolerance to the components of the fungus by a person;
• Serious disorders in the work of the heart, kidneys, liver;
• Not recommended for children under the age of 12;
• Contraindicated in pregnant women, as well as women during breastfeeding.

In general, many doctors believe that russula can be given to children after 7 years. But in limited quantities and only the most delicious and safe types.

As for adults, they also should not overly abuse russula - no more than 150 grams per day. Delicious and high-quality types of russula are no exception.

Perhaps it is the sphere of cooking that allows you to fully appreciate all the taste possibilities of this mushroom. Yes, it has excellent beneficial properties, but cook some dish from russula, and you can no longer refuse it. This will be your favorite mushroom.

Now we will share with you several recipes for making russula. Namely, we will tell you how to properly salt, marinate them and how to boil them correctly.

Take a set of the following ingredients:

• One small onion;
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil;
• 3 garlic cloves;
• 1 kilogram of fresh edible russula;
• 4 tbsp rock salt;
• A few blueberry leaves.

Cooking:

Clean the mushrooms from dirt, rinse, place in a saucepan, add a little salt. Peel the garlic, cut it into small plates and place on the mushrooms. Cover the mushrooms with blueberry sprigs and place for 12 hours in a dark and cool place. Now pour the chopped onion on top, add the oil and mix everything. Place the mushrooms in prepared jars, close. As you pack the mushrooms, add more russula to the jars until the jar is full. After about 30 days, the mushrooms are ready to eat.

Russula can be marinated in several ways. Now we will describe them to you.

• Clean the mushrooms properly, if necessary, remove the film from the cap, cut the legs short.
• Boil water, pour mushrooms with it. Place on fire, bring to a boil, turn off and leave to cool.
• In the meantime, prepare the jars.
• Mushrooms after cooling, discard in a colander.
• Leave currant or cherry leaves in prepared jars, although both can be used. Also put bay leaves, dill umbrellas. To improve the taste, add some sprigs of tarragon. Divide the mushrooms into jars.
• Make a marinade based on 250 ml of water - 50 ml of vinegar and 25 grams of rock salt. Make brine based on the number of available mushrooms.
• Boil the marinade, pour it into jars with mushrooms.
• Place the jars in a wide pot of water to sterilize. After boiling water, keep the jars on fire for 20 minutes.
• Take out the containers, screw on the lids. Mushrooms are ready.

Please note that for 1 kilogram of russula you will need a large tablespoon of salt. You can use garlic as you wish.Mushrooms in this way of pickling will not be stored for long, but you are unlikely to resist not to eat them all at once.

So, you need to cook according to this recipe as follows:

• Rinse the mushrooms, remove all dirt;
• Peel the garlic, cut it into thin slices;
• Place the mushrooms in a jar or pan, but be sure to head down;
• The layers are sprinkled with salt and garlic;
• You need to withstand mushrooms for 14 days by placing the jars in a cold place;
• After 2 weeks, you can serve. It goes well with vodka, has a sharp and rich taste.

You will need these ingredients:

• Purified water - 400 ml;
• 1 kilogram of russula with hard caps;
• 250 ml of vinegar;
• Several buds of cloves;
• 300 grams of onions;
• Lavrushka leaves;
• Allspice (peas);
• 1 tsp Sahara;
• 1 large tablespoon of rock salt.

Cooking:

Peel the mushrooms, fill them with water and boil for about 15 minutes, then throw them in a colander so that all the liquid is glass. Pour water into the pan, add the indicated spices, salt, sugar, small onions. Bring the mixture to a boil, then pour in the vinegar. Dip the boiled russula into this marinade and boil for 5 minutes. Distribute the hot mushrooms among the jars, and let the brine stand on the fire for another 2-3 minutes. Pour the brine into jars and close them with lids.

Now let's talk in more detail about how to cook these mushrooms correctly.

• Before boiling, they must be thoroughly washed, sorted out to find the strongest specimens.
• Clean them from dirt, put in a pan. Now fill with cold water at the rate of 1 volume of mushrooms per 2 volumes of water.
• Place the pot over medium heat, bring to a boil, then lower the flame.
• Next, watch for the formation of foam, which must be removed during cooking. After that, add some salt, bay leaf and black peppercorns.
• After boiling water, mushrooms are boiled for 30 minutes.
• In no case do not use the water left after boiling russula for food.

Not many dare to fry russula. But in vain. They turn out very tasty. Served as an independent dish, or eaten with a side dish. Some even manage to fry russula chops.

To make chops, take peeled russula, choose the largest and flattest hats, put them in cold salt water for a while. After that, discard in a colander.

The hat should be dipped in the prepared batter. Next, the mushroom is sprinkled with breadcrumbs for breading. You need to fry quickly, the fire must be strong. Then place all the russula together in a pan, pour in the batter that should have remained. Now fry your mushrooms, but already on low heat. This will take about 15 minutes.

We also recommend cooking these mushrooms in sour cream. Great addition to boiled potatoes or rice.