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White hedgehog belongs to the Hedgehog family, genus Gidnum. Sometimes it is called “white hedgehog”, where the stress in the first word falls on the last syllable. The mushroom belongs to the category of edible varieties, but its taste is of low value. Despite this, mushroom pickers do not mind using it in cooking.
Description of the white hedgehog
A distinctive feature of the white hedgehog is the presence of spines located on the inside of the cap.
The fruiting body of the white hedgehog consists of a pronounced cap and stem. The needles are short, white or pale pink. They have a conical shape, pointed at the ends, and slightly descend to the stem. At a young age, elastic and densely located, in maturity they become brittle, which contributes to easy shedding. The pulp is dense, white. It has a faint mushroom aroma, in some cases with a floral tint. The spores are ellipsoidal, the spore powder is white.
Description of the cap
At the initial stage of ripening, the cap is slightly convex, with edges curved down. Subsequently, it acquires a prostrate shape, with a concave center. The diameter of the cap reaches about 15-17 cm. The surface is dense, dry, and velvety to the touch. Color varies from white to yellowish or grayish shades. On some specimens you can find blurred spots in similar tones.
It is recommended to eat white hedgehogs when they are young, since the flesh of overripe specimens becomes very hard.
Description of the leg
The leg is dense, white, solid, the maximum height of which can reach 6 cm and a width of 3 cm. There is no cavity inside even in adult specimens.
One of the main conditions for fruiting is soil rich in limestone.
Where and how does it grow
Favorable time for growth is the period from July to October within a temperate climate. It forms mycorrhiza with almost all coniferous and deciduous tree species. Preference is given to damp places and moss covers.
Widely distributed in Europe, North America and Asia. It is believed that the white hedgehog appeared in Russia relatively recently. It is found in its southern part, in the temperate forest zone.It can grow either singly or in large groups under favorable conditions.
Doubles and their differences
As a rule, you can find white hedgehog in Russia from early summer to mid-autumn
White hedgehog is quite difficult to confuse with other forest products due to its specific hymenophore. However, it has external similarities with other subspecies of this family. It is worth considering the main differences between each instance separately:
- Yellow hedgehog. The cap of this variety is flat and irregularly shaped. The pulp is dense, white with a pleasant aroma. It can grow together with the caps of other mushrooms growing in the neighborhood. Grows in mixed and deciduous forests, prefers moss cover. Color varies from pale yellow to orange, depending on growing conditions. A faded old white hedgehog is quite easy to confuse with its counterpart, but will give away its inherent bitter taste, which the yellow one does not have even in adulthood.
- The reddish-yellow hedgehog has a small cap, the size of which reaches about 5 cm in diameter. Irregular in shape, reddish-reddish in color with wavy and very thin edges. During drought, the surface of the cap fades. On the underside of the cap there are reddish-yellow needles. The length of the leg is no more than 4 cm, colored in reddish shades. Its surface is covered with felt fluff. The flesh is fragile, light in color, and becomes hard with age, especially the stem. It is edible, but is eaten only at a young age. Old specimens are very bitter and taste like a rubber stopper.
Is the white hedgehog edible or not?
This specimen is edible, but is suitable for food only when young.This is due to the fact that overripe mushrooms become tough and begin to taste bitter. Some sources mention the similarity of the species in question to chanterelles not only in external characteristics, but also in taste. White hedgehog can be used as food in fried, boiled, or pickled form. This specimen is also great for drying.
How to cook white hedgehog mushroom
The white hedgehog frightens many people with its unusual appearance. However, experienced mushroom pickers know that it is an edible and healthy mushroom, and therefore they are happy to eat it fried, pickled, or boiled. In addition, this type is considered an excellent option for freezing or drying. But before cooking, it is necessary to pre-process the forest products. To do this, use a toothbrush to remove the needle-like growths located under the cap. After this, each specimen is washed under running water.
Important! As you know, white hedgehog is bitter only when it is old. You can eliminate the unpleasant taste as follows: pour boiling water over overripe specimens and leave for 15 minutes, then rinse under running water.
How to fry
The process of preparing fried white hedgehogs does not take much time. To do this you will need the following ingredients:
- mushrooms – 600 g;
- one onion;
- vegetable oil;
- 1 clove of garlic.
Step-by-step instruction:
- Peel the onion and cut into half rings.
- Chop the garlic.
- Fry the prepared ingredients in hot sunflower oil.
- Process the mushrooms and cut into medium pieces.
- When the contents in the pan turn golden, you can add the gifts of the forest.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes over low heat.
Important! You should not cut the mushrooms too finely, since under the influence of temperature conditions they can shrink significantly.
Before preparing white blackberry, it is recommended to cut out the needle-like layer
How to marinate
Before pickling, white hedgehog mushrooms must be processed; to do this, just clean them of dirt and debris with a brush, and then rinse them under running water. Removing the needle layer is recommended, but not a requirement, as this will not affect the taste. You will need the following ingredients:
- mushrooms - 0.5 kg;
- onion - 1 pc.;
- garlic - 1 clove;
- vinegar 5% - 2 tbsp. l;
- vegetable oil - 1 tbsp. l.;
- bay leaf - 1 pc.;
- boiling water - 250 ml;
- salt and pepper to taste.
Cooking process:
- Chop the garlic and onion and place in a prepared jar.
- Add salt, pepper, vinegar and oil to a common bowl.
- Pour the contents into 100 ml of boiling water.
- Place the processed blackberries, put a bay leaf on top, then pour boiling water over them.
- Roll up the lids of the jars and carefully turn them over several times to shake the contents.
- Place in the refrigerator upside down. After a day, pickled mushrooms can be eaten.
How to dry
Dried mushrooms are excellent as a preparation for soups, gravies, sauces, and broths. Before drying, the gifts of the forest should not be washed; just remove dirt and wipe with a dry cloth. Then they need to be cut into slices of approximately 5 mm and placed on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Initially, the mushrooms are dried in the oven at a temperature of 45 degrees, when they are slightly dry, they are raised to 70. To prevent the specimens from burning, drying should be done with the door slightly open. The process takes at least 8 hours.
You can tell when the mushroom is ready by the elasticity of the mushroom: it should bend but not break. White hedgehogs are stored in this form for about 2-3 years. In addition, dried mushrooms can be ground in a coffee grinder, resulting in a mixture that can be added to various dishes as a seasoning.
How to freeze
Before freezing white bramble mushrooms, you need to sort them out. Firstly, it is important to remove all wormy and rotten specimens. Secondly, mushrooms should be cleaned of dirt, twigs and leaves. Firm and young white barnacles are suitable for this purpose. It is not recommended to wash them, as they tend to absorb all the moisture. But if the mushrooms were nevertheless subjected to water procedures, then after that they should be dried with a towel. Then dry specimens should be transferred in a thin layer into a special bag. Frozen white hedgehogs can be stored for up to a year at a temperature of -18 degrees.
Medicinal properties of white hedgehogs
White hedgehog is considered not only a tasty mushroom, but also healthy
White hedgehog contains a lot of useful vitamins and microelements that have a beneficial effect on the body, namely:
- normalize blood pressure, improve heartbeat;
- improve the functioning of the respiratory system;
- reduce cholesterol levels;
- prevent the occurrence of malignant tumors;
- smooth out the symptoms of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases;
- have a therapeutic effect on the gastrointestinal tract.
Based on the above, white hedgehog is quite popular and is used in folk medicine.
Is it possible to grow white hedgehog at home?
Growing white hedgehog at home is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.They can be propagated artificially both indoors and outdoors. Thus, white hedgehog can be grown in the country, but this option involves planting exclusively from April to October, and breeding, for example, in a basement or barn will allow you to get a harvest all year round.
The algorithm for growing white hedgehogs at home is as follows:
- Prepare logs of deciduous trees 1 m long and about 20 cm wide in diameter. The branches can be removed, but the bark must be left.
- Soak dry wood in water for 2 days, then leave it in a warm, ventilated area for the same time.
- Drill holes in the prepared logs in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 10 cm, 4 cm long, and 0.8 cm wide in diameter.
- Place mushroom sticks into the resulting holes.
- Wrap the logs in polyethylene and leave in a warm place. It is important that they always remain moist, so you should water them every 2-3 days.
- After white threads of mycelium become visible on the surface, the logs should be placed in cold water and then placed vertically in a bright and warm room.
Conclusion
White hedgehog is an edible mushroom that has a positive effect on the body. However, like any other mushroom, it contains chitin, which is difficult to digest. In this regard, the use of forest products is not recommended for people with gastrointestinal problems, as well as for young children, pregnant and lactating women.
