Content
Pepper milk is a lamellar representative of the genus Mlechnik of the Russula family. Belongs to the conditionally edible group with low nutritional value. After pre-treatment, use only for salting.
What does pepper milk look like?
The species has several names other than the Latin Lactarius piperatus, pepper mushroom is known as spicy mushroom, spicy mushroom and pepper mushroom. The species received its name because of the bitter milky juice, which quickly oxidizes when scrapped, becoming greenish.
These are quite large white fruiting bodies.In older specimens, the color may be beige with a yellow tint, especially if it grows in an open, dry area.
Description of the cap
At the initial stage, the cap is rounded with concave edges adjacent to the stem. In older specimens it is prostrate, the edges remain rolled up, uneven, and often wavy. The surface is dry, there is a small depression in the center with a longitudinal crack. The protective layer is smooth or rough, monochromatic; representatives with brown or reddish spots are less common.
The transverse size of the cap of a ripe milk mushroom is 8-12 cm. Single specimens can be larger - up to 20 cm. The pulp is dry, fragile, and white. The lower part has densely spaced narrow plates that fit tightly to the fruiting body. The spore-bearing layer is white; over time, small yellowish areas may appear. When damaged, the mushroom releases a sticky, thick white juice that quickly oxidizes.
Description of the leg
The stalk is short, thick, with a clear boundary of the spore-bearing layer. The shape is in the form of an elongated oval, often narrowed near the mycelium.
The surface is smooth or slightly bumpy, white. The height, depending on the age of the mushroom, is 4-8 cm. The structure is rigid and fragile. From the mycelium along the length inside it is often affected by slugs.
Where and how does it grow
Pepper milk mushrooms are common in warm climates, found in the mountainous regions of the Caucasus, in mixed forests of the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories. They are located in the Central regions and the Moscow region. In the European part with a colder climate they grow very rarely.
They appear in symbiosis with oak, alder, and hazel. They are located singly or in several pieces on a rotten leaf cushion. They prefer clayey, fertile soils and shaded, moist areas.The first specimens grow in the south after the rains at the end of July. In temperate climates - in the last ten days of August. Fruiting does not last long, within three weeks, but subject to normal frequency of precipitation.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
The species does not have high nutritional value due to its bitter taste. It is classified as edible, because the chemical composition does not contain toxins. According to reviews, pepper milk mushrooms are used for cooking only in salted form, after preliminary processing. Processed mushrooms are not inferior in taste to species with a higher gastronomic characteristic. Culinary publications offer numerous recipes for pickling pepper milk mushrooms both cold and hot.
How to cook pepper milk mushrooms
The brought mushrooms must be immediately filled with cold water, and after 1-2 hours, begin processing. During this time, the fruiting bodies will be saturated with moisture, become less fragile, and the top layer will be easier to remove from them.
Treatment:
- Use a knife to remove the protective film from the surface of the cap.
- Peel off the lamellar layer; if you leave it, the finished mushrooms will be hard, this is problematic for small milk mushrooms, so do not touch the lower part of the cap.
- The leg is cut off and the top layer is removed. If it is severely damaged by slugs, do not use it for food.
Before any method of preparing pepper milk mushrooms, pre-soaking is necessary. The treated fruiting bodies are washed and filled with water. Clean in the cold, change the water several times a day. This is necessary to completely get rid of bitterness. The procedure is continued for at least three days. The product is then washed and salted.To prepare pepper milk mushrooms in a cold way, take:
- garlic;
- horseradish leaves;
- dill inflorescences;
- Bay leaf;
- black pepper;
- currant leaves.
The soaked milk mushrooms are placed in a container. Use enamel containers, such as a bucket, wooden barrel or glass jars. A horseradish leaf is placed at the bottom, then a layer of the product, sprinkled with salt at the rate of 100 g per 2 kg of fruiting bodies, and spices are added. Cover the top with horseradish leaves and apply pressure. The mushrooms will give juice; it should completely cover the milk mushrooms. In 3 weeks the product will be ready.
You can cook pepper milk mushrooms in a hot way:
- The soaked fruiting bodies are placed in a pan.
- Fill with water.
- Boil for 20 minutes.
- The water is poured out and the mushrooms are washed.
- Placed in jars.
For a jar (3 l) take:
- salt – 100 g;
- water – 2 l;
- pepper – 15 peas;
- garlic – 2-3 cloves;
- dill umbrella – 1 pc.:
- currant leaves – 10 pcs.;
- bay leaf – 2 pcs.
Boiled mushrooms are placed in a jar, mixed with the above ingredients. Boil water, dilute salt in it, pour the brine over the mushrooms and cover with lids.
Why is pepper milk dangerous?
The species does not cause poisoning; after soaking, the bitterness completely disappears. People with kidney failure or stomach ulcers should not eat salted milk mushrooms; with caution - with gastritis and dysfunction of the digestive system. When processed, the milky sap can cause irritation on the surface of the skin; when it gets into the wounds, severe burning pain is felt.
Medicinal properties of pepper milk mushrooms
Pepper milk is used in folk recipes as an antitumor agent. The infusion is taken for tuberculosis. A gauze swab soaked in milky juice is applied to the warts; after a few uses, they dry out and disappear completely.The juice of the mushroom removes small papillomas. Fried and ground milk mushrooms are used to remove stones from the bladder.
Doubles and their differences
A species similar to the pepper mushroom is the violin.
The bluish breast is also classified as a twin.
It is found in both deciduous and coniferous forests and grows on calcareous soils. The structure of the plates differs: in the double they are wider and less frequently spaced. The species are identical in nutritional value.
Conclusion
Peppermint is a mushroom with low nutritional value. Suitable for any method of pickling, but only after thorough soaking. If the processing technology is followed, a tasty and healthy product is obtained with a set of microelements and vitamins necessary for the body.
