Content
- 1 Description of the motley hedgehog
- 2 Doubles and their differences
- 3 Where and how does the variegated hedgehog grow?
- 4 Is the variegated hedgehog mushroom edible or not?
- 5 How to cook motley hedgehogs
- 6 Medicinal properties of variegated hedgehogs
- 7 Growing variegated hedgehogs on the site
- 8 Some interesting facts about variegated hedgehogs
- 9 Conclusion
The variegated hedgehog is not found in every forest. The mushroom is visually attractive, but many people usually avoid it. Only experienced mushroom pickers know about its edibility and beneficial properties and can distinguish a real hedgehog among its duplicates.
Description of the motley hedgehog
The mushroom has a second name - Sarcodon imbracatum. Belongs to the large Ezhovikov family. The mushroom is considered conditionally edible.
The surface of the cap resembles tiles laid in a circle
Description of the cap
Sarcodon is easily recognized by its unusual cap structure. In a young specimen, its diameter is about 5 cm, and over time it increases to 10 cm. Sometimes caps of record sizes with a diameter of up to 20 cm grow. The pulp is thick, brittle, but dense. In a young mushroom it is initially white. Over time, it turns a little gray and acquires a spicy aroma. Bitterness appears in old pulp.
The hedgehog cap can grow up to 20 cm in diameter
You can tell the age of the mushroom by the shape of its cap. Sarcodon motley is slightly convex at the initial stage of life. Over time, the cap becomes flat, gradually acquires a concave shape, and in an old mushroom it resembles a large funnel.
The age of the motley sarcodon is also determined by its wavy edge. In a young specimen, the edge of the cap is curved upward, while in an old specimen it is curved downward. A distinctive feature of the hedgehog is its unusual skin in the form of scales of a fir cone or tile. You can similarly determine its age by its color. The young mushroom has a brown skin, and the cap of the old specimen is almost black with a brownish tint.
A distinctive feature of the hedgehog is the needle-like spore-bearing layer
On the reverse side of the cap there is a spore-bearing layer. In young representatives it is white-gray, and in older representatives it is dark gray. The spores are yellowish in color, sometimes very light or colorless. The shape of the spore-bearing layer is needle-shaped. It consists of many spines up to 1 cm long. When pressed with a finger, the needles easily break.
Description of the leg
Young hedgehogs have dense, fleshy legs. With age, they become hollow inside. The shape of the leg is cylindrical. Height is about 5 cm, thickness varies from 1 to 3 cm, depending on age. The skin of the leg closer to the ground is brown with a brown tint, and at the top it is light, approximately the same color as the cap.
The leg of the old Sarcodon motley is empty inside
Doubles and their differences
When harvesting motley hedgehog begins, it is important not to put a similar poisonous representative in the basket. To do this, you need to know the sarcodon doubles well:
- If you accidentally end up with a cone mushroom in your basket, there is nothing wrong with that. It is completely edible. The doppelgänger can easily be confused with the variegated hedgehog, since its cap has similar scales. Shikogrib can be recognized by its spore-bearing layer. It has a tubular shape.
The cap of the cone-shaped mushroom is covered with scales resembling a pine cone
- The inedible counterpart of the pied sarcodon is the Finnish hedgehog. Externally it has a good resemblance, but is recognized by the color of the flesh of the leg. The Finnish hedgehog is dark. A peppery aroma emanates from the pulp. The juice tastes hot. You can also identify a double by its smaller size, but in the case of young mushrooms this is difficult to do.
The flesh of the Finnish hedgehog leg is dark in color.
- Outwardly, the Rough Hedgehog has an almost perfect resemblance to the motley sarcodon. Experienced mushroom pickers recognize the double by its small scales and light-colored cap. The mushroom is considered conditionally edible.
The rough hedgehog is recognized by the light color of its cap
- Despite the fact that Sarcodon amarescens is an inedible counterpart to the mottled representative, it is non-poisonous.Unsuitability for consumption is due to the increased bitterness of the pulp. It is easy to identify the double by the black-blue color of the flesh of the leg.
Sarcodon amarescens - an inedible look-alike that has no Russian name
The Ezhovikov family still has many other representatives, but they are very different from the motley sarcodon.
Where and how does the variegated hedgehog grow?
The optimal habitat for the motley hedgehog is coniferous forests located on dry sandy or calcareous soil. Myceliums are not found among plantations of deciduous trees. Sometimes variegated sarkadon can be found in mixed forests, but even here it grows closer to pine or spruce.
You need to look for the motley hedgehog in pine forests
Variegated hedgehog can be grown at home from acquired mycelium. In nature, sarcodon grows throughout the temperate European zone. However, in some areas there may be a lot of mushrooms, while in other forest zones there may be a complete deficiency. Variegated sarcodons grow in small groups. There are single specimens. Good luck for a mushroom picker is to find a group cluster that forms a “witch’s ring.” They go searching for hedgehogs from August until the last month of autumn, when frosts begin. Peak fruiting occurs in September.
Is the variegated hedgehog mushroom edible or not?
Sarcodon is considered a conditionally edible mushroom. Only young representatives are suitable for consumption. Old mushrooms are bitter. The taste of bitterness cannot be eliminated by any means: soaking, prolonged cooking and other methods. Variegated hedgehogs are boiled, fried, pickled, dried, and canned.However, even young mushrooms are usually boiled for 10-15 minutes before the main cooking to get rid of the bitterness.
How to cook motley hedgehogs
After harvesting, the harvest must be carefully sorted again. Repeated sorting helps to identify randomly collected pied hedgehog doubles and old specimens. Only young mushrooms are left for cooking.
Before cooking, young hedgehogs are cleaned of thorns and dirt, washed for up to 20 minutes in clean water and boiled. You can dry the harvested crop so that you can cook soups, sauces and other dishes all winter.
Cleaning and preparing mushrooms
During cleaning, many mushroom pickers try to completely remove the unusual, needle-like spore-bearing layer and clean the surface of the cap. In fact, such a procedure is optional. It is enough to rinse motley sarcodons thoroughly in clean water using a brush. During washing, dirt, sand, adhering pieces of grass and leaves are removed from the surface of the pulp. Most of the needle-like protrusions will fall off on their own due to friction. The remaining spikes after cooking are not felt in the mouth as solid formations.
The needle-like spore-bearing layer does not have to be removed when cleaning the cap.
How to fry
Before frying, variegated sarcodons are thoroughly washed. It is important to get rid of the remaining mycelium, dirt, and sand. To be safe, the mushrooms are soaked and then boiled for about 20 minutes in salted water. The finished mass is discarded in a colander. When all the water has drained, the sarcodons are fried in a frying pan with the addition of sunflower oil.
Fried motley blackberries are delicious in sunflower oil or with sour cream
When the fruiting body of the fried mushrooms has softened, add the onion, cut into rings, into the pan. At this stage you need to salt the dish. Continue frying with the lid open until all the juice has evaporated. If the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are still raw, cover the pan with a lid. Ready-made variegated sarcodons will darken slightly. A pleasant mushroom aroma will begin to emanate from them. If desired, you can add sour cream to the blackberries a couple of minutes before the end of frying.
How to marinate
For marinating hedgehog mushrooms, it is best to use 720 ml jars. For one such container you will need the following ingredients:
- motley sarcodons – 0.5 kg;
- one onion and a clove of garlic;
- 1 tbsp. l. salt and sunflower oil;
- 2 tbsp. l. vinegar 5% or 1 tbsp. l. vinegar 9%;
- about 10 black peppercorns and 1-2 bay leaves.
To prepare the marinade, one jar requires 250 ml of boiling water.
Pickled variegated sarcodons are ready to eat in 24 hours
The washed and peeled blackberries are poured with boiling water for 15 minutes, after which they are left to drain in a colander. All ingredients, except bay leaf, are placed in a jar. Pour in 100 ml of boiling water. The jar is filled to the neck with prepared variegated sarcodons. A bay leaf is placed on top. The remaining boiling water is poured into the jar so that the water completely covers its contents. The lid is used with a twist or plastic, which depends on the neck of the container. The jar of mushrooms is turned upside down and, after cooling, placed in the refrigerator. A day later, pickled blackberries are served.
How to freeze
Before freezing, motley hedgehogs are cleaned, but not washed, otherwise they will become saturated with water. Mushrooms are frozen in bags or plastic containers, distributed into the required portions. The storage duration depends on the freezing temperature:
- — 12 OC – 3 months;
- — 18 OC – 6 months;
- — 25 OC – up to 1 year.
After defrosting, the mushrooms are subjected to washing and other preparatory procedures.
Frozen mushrooms are stored in a bag or plastic container
How to dry
To dry mushrooms, it is similarly undesirable to wash them. The exception to the rule is their further purpose. If dry variegated blackberries are ground into powder for seasoning, they must be washed before drying. The crushed flour cannot be washed in the future, and sand from dirty mushrooms may remain in it.
Dried mushrooms can be stored whole or ground in a coffee grinder into powder for seasoning.
If the blackberries are stored whole, you can wash them before using them for cooking. Mushrooms are dried naturally, spread out on a tray or strung on a thread. For quick drying, use an oven, microwave or dryer.
Canning
For long-term preservation of the crop, preservation is best suited. The ingredients are the same as for marinating. Just do not pour boiling water over the spices, but cook a marinade from them. The jars are sterilized by steaming or heating in the oven. Sealing is carried out using metal lids. Store preserved food in a cellar or cool basement. In urban environments, a balcony is suitable.
Canned blackberries can be stored for up to 1 year
Medicinal properties of variegated hedgehogs
In addition to cooking, variegated hedgehog is used in folk medicine in the treatment of many diseases, as well as simply to maintain vitality. The pulp contains useful substances such as campesterol, glutamic, nicotinic and aspartic acid, as well as potassium.
The popularity of the motley hedgehog among traditional healers is due to the many beneficial properties of the mushroom.
If we take a closer look at the variegated hedgehog, its benefits extend to many vital human organs:
- The mushroom contains antibacterial substances. The juice squeezed from the pulp disinfects the wound and eliminates the inflammatory process. The mushroom is a natural first aid kit for mushroom pickers; it helps provide first aid in case of injury or infection with E. coli.
- Athletes are recommended to consume blackberries during active activities. Nutrients help build muscle mass and increase vitality.
- Traditional healers use the mushroom to relieve symptoms of depression, improve sleep and mood, and calm the nervous system.
- The acids contained in the composition help remove cholesterol and toxins from the body. There is an increase in the production of red blood cells, which improve the blood formula. The walls of blood vessels become elastic.
- The mushroom has a positive effect on the human body and hair. The skin restores elasticity and natural shine. Hair becomes silky.
Ancient healers knew about the benefits of hedgehogs. The surviving treatises of Chinese doctors contain many recipes for preparing healing tinctures and ointments. Rejuvenating face masks are prepared based on variegated sarcodon.
Growing variegated hedgehogs on the site
If variegated sarcodons do not grow in the forest, you can grow them yourself. It is enough to purchase mycelium. More often among amateurs, wooden sticks containing fungal spores are popular. In general terms, the procedure for growing variegated hedgehog at the dacha is simple. Outdoor planting is done from April to autumn. You can grow mushrooms inside the prepared room all year round.
If desired, variegated hedgehogs can be grown artificially on your own site
To grow mushrooms you will need logs from freshly cut trees. Chocks are taken about 1 m long, 15-20 cm thick. At intervals of 10 cm, holes are drilled of such a size that wooden mushroom sticks fit inside. Usually the parameters are standard: length - 40 mm, thickness - 8 mm. The logs are soaked in water. A stick is inserted inside each hole, the block is wrapped in film, and sent to a dark place. When the mycelium germinates, the logs are taken outside. When growing in basements, artificial lighting is turned on. It is important to maintain humidity and ventilation. If the mushrooms grew outside, before winter all the bodies are cut off and the logs are covered with straw.
Some interesting facts about variegated hedgehogs
Variegated sarcodons tend to fade in the sun. They become a color similar to yellow hedgehogs. However, these mushrooms are not related. What they have in common is only the same structure of the spore-bearing layer.
Despite the similarities, the pied sarcodon is not related to the yellow hedgehog
Scientists have obtained a large number of useful components from hedgehogs, but they are not yet officially used in pharmacology. All substances undergo laboratory testing.For medicinal purposes, the mushroom is used only by fans of traditional medicine.
More information about mushrooms can be found in the video:
Conclusion
Variegated hedgehog should be given to children with caution, especially if there is no confidence in the authenticity of the variety. Mushrooms are hard on the digestive system. This fact must be taken into account when including it in the diet of older people.
