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Mushroom picking in the forest is often associated with the difficulty of determining the species. In order to find intact intact specimens, you need to know not only the external description of the edible varieties, but also the main habitats. The common boletus is a type of spongy cap mushroom. It is also called obabok or birch tree.
Where does the boletus mushroom grow?
Obabok, or common boletus, begins to appear on the edges of mixed forests with the arrival of summer and grows there until late autumn. It got its name due to the fact that it forms mycorrhiza with birch trees.This means a close symbiotic relationship with the roots of the tree. Most often, this species is collected in mixed forests, where birch trees occupy leading positions or are at least found (for example, in spruce plantings). Common boletuses are common throughout mainland Europe; they also grow in North America.
What does the common boletus look like?
By its external description, the common boletus can be easily distinguished from other varieties. Its parameters are often used to demonstrate a typical representative of a class:
- Hat. The color of the cap can be light gray (in young specimens) or dark brown (in old fruiting bodies). Round or hemispherical, it reaches 15 cm in diameter. After rain or dew, the cap may be covered with a small amount of mucus. Under the dark thin skin of the surface lies white pulp, which darkens slightly when broken and has a characteristic mushroom smell.
- Leg. Can reach 15 cm in length and 3 cm in girth. Solid, semi-cylindrical, the leg slightly expands towards the surface of the earth. In adult specimens, after cutting, its pulp becomes hard, fibrous, and watery.
Is it possible to eat common boletus?
The common boletus belongs to the group of edibles. The caps and parts of the legs are used for food. In addition, they are classified as a type of classically edible species that, when cut, emit a recognizable mushroom smell.
Taste qualities of mushroom
Common boletus mushrooms are in second place after porcini mushrooms in terms of taste characteristics. The preparation of this type does not require long-term heat treatment; the characteristic mushroom smell does not disappear after cooking.The pulp becomes soft and acquires a rich creamy taste. A distinctive feature of common boletus mushrooms is the darkening of the white flesh after boiling.
Common boletus is used for: various types of culinary processing:
- frying;
- boiling;
- pickling;
- drying.
The rich taste and aroma allow you to prepare soups, sauces, gravies from the product, and make sour cream dressings by mixing with butter, olive or other vegetable oils. This variety goes well with root vegetables, cereals, and is well suited for fillings in pies and kulebyaks.
Benefits and harm to the body
During heat treatment, boletus releases a harmful substance - quinine, which can have a negative effect on digestion, so the water after boiling is drained and not used for further preparation.
The common boletus is useful for those who adhere to a diet. In terms of taste and nutritional value, it can replace some types of meat, while not being high in calories. When planning a diet, compatibility with other products is taken into account.
Common boletus contains increased amounts of ascorbic acid, as well as calcium and magnesium. Proteins that make up more than 30% are considered complete, that is, they have essential amino acids such as lecithin, arginine and glutamine. This product content does not require special enzymes for digestion. Protein is quickly and easily absorbed by the intestines, which explains the dietary properties of the obabok variety.They are known to be used in folk medicine to treat chronic kidney diseases.
You can get to know the common boletus by watching the video:
False doubles
Common boletus mushrooms have a dangerous counterpart called the gall fungus.
The differences between these varieties are described in the table:
Signs of difference | Common boletus | Gall mushroom |
Habitats | Mixed or spruce forests with a predominance of birch trees. | In forests near wetlands, in ravines. |
External description | The shade of the spore powder is light, creamy. | Spore powder mixed with dirty yellow spots. |
Cap structure | Elastic, dense, does not change shape when pressed. | It is pressed in when pressed lightly and does not return to its original shape. |
Smell | Mushroom smell. | No. |
Peculiarities | They grow in bright, open places. | There are no insects on the surface of the fruiting body because they are not attracted to bitter, inedible mushrooms. |
Mushroom pickers claim that, due to inexperience, the toadstools can be confused with one of the poisonous mushrooms, the pale toadstool. Toadstools grow under birch and aspen trees. The time of their appearance coincides with the beginning of fruiting in the boletus forests:
The fruiting periods of the two types coincide: from July to October.
The rounded cap of the toadstool has the shape of a hemisphere. Its diameter is up to 10 cm. Young representatives have an attractive shade of the hat: glossy, light brown. The pulp does not darken when cut, remains whitish, and exudes a faint sweetish aroma. The leg, like that of the boletus, is lighter than the cap and widens downward. White toadstool belongs to the class of poisonous mushrooms. Poisoning can cause serious complications.
To distinguish a toadstool from a toadstool, it is recommended to focus on several basic characteristics of a false species:
- lack of symbiosis with birch roots;
- no characteristic mushroom aroma;
- There are no insects on the surface of the fruiting body.
Collection rules
When collecting, it is necessary to take into account the recommendations of experienced mushroom pickers:
- Plan your route in advance. Do not pick mushrooms near roads or industrial enterprises, because they absorb harmful substances that accumulate under the base of the cap.
- Cut off the fruiting body at the surface of the ground with a knife at a sharp angle.
- Place mushrooms in a non-plastic container. The best option is a wicker basket: it allows air to pass through and prevents the caps of neighboring specimens from squeezing each other.
- Do not collect damaged wormy mushrooms.
- Avoid specimens whose identity is in doubt.
- Sort through the fruiting bodies after harvesting and discard those that are unsuitable.
Mushroom pickers recommend cooking boletus mushrooms during the first 24 hours after collection. Raw materials are not subject to long-term storage or transportation.
Use
After harvest, boletus mushrooms are often cooked with potatoes and onions. Before frying, they are cleaned, the lower part of the leg is cut off, soaked in cold water, then boiled for 25 - 30 minutes.
To prevent the pulp from darkening, use cold water acidified with citric acid when soaking. For 2 liters take 0.5 tsp. powder or squeeze the juice from half a lemon.
Boletus mushrooms are dried using electric dryers or ovens.They are also frozen after boiling. Dried parts are stored in fabric bags or food paper bags. Frozen mushrooms are stored on the freezer shelf in plastic bags with sealed valves for 3 to 6 months. Most often, boletus mushrooms are pickled; in pickles, they are not so attractive and lose their characteristic taste.
For frying, along with ordinary boletus mushrooms, they often take varieties of similar type: porcini mushrooms, boletus mushrooms.
Conclusion
The common boletus is a tasty edible mushroom with a characteristic, recognizable odor. When collecting this variety, take into account that its representatives grow in birch forests. This helps prevent them from being confused with false counterparts. Before cooking, the common boletus is briefly soaked, and citric acid is added to avoid darkening of the product, as in the case of boiling.
