Content
- 1 Where do black russulas grow?
- 2 What does a black mushroom mushroom look like?
- 3 Is it possible to eat black russula?
- 4 Taste qualities of black russula
- 5 The benefits and harms of black russula
- 6 Rules for collecting mushrooms
- 7 False doubles of black russula
- 8 Recipes for cooking black russula
- 9 Conclusion
Podgrudok black is a mushroom from the genus Russula, which is also simply called nigella. To properly collect and prepare the fungus, you need to learn more about what it looks like and where it is most often found.
Where do black russulas grow?
You can find black podgruzok throughout Russia, although it mainly grows in the northern regions. The mushroom loves well-lit places in coniferous forests with a large number of pine trees or in mixed deciduous plantings where birch trees grow.You can see it directly under trees or on paths, in clearings and in tall grass.
Usually the podgruzdok grows in small groups. Its growth peak occurs from July to October, but the fungus can still be considered quite rare and difficult to collect in large quantities.
What does a black mushroom mushroom look like?
You can recognize the cap, first of all, by the cap - in young fungi it is convex, but as it grows it straightens and becomes almost flat. According to the photo and description of the black cap, the color of the cap ranges from gray-brown to dark brown-brown, with the cap being darker in the middle and lighter at the edges to almost white.
The lower surface of the cap is covered with thin plates of a dirty gray color; if you press on these plates, they will quickly turn black. The consistency of the mushroom is dense in the cap area, but loose in the stem. When cut, the pod has a white-gray tint, but rapidly darkens when exposed to oxygen.
Is it possible to eat black russula?
Black Podgrudok is a conditionally edible mushroom. However, it is not recommended to eat it raw; first, the toppings should be soaked and boiled, and only then salted, pickled or fried.
Taste qualities of black russula
In terms of taste, black podgruzdok belongs to the 4th category - this means that the taste of the mushroom is pleasant, but is nothing special.
Fresh mushrooms have a bitter taste, which is why it is recommended to soak them before eating.Processed mushrooms are mainly salted and pickled; it should be noted that in this case the flesh of the mushrooms becomes black and the taste becomes slightly sweet.
The benefits and harms of black russula
Eating supplements is good for health; they have a rich chemical composition. They contain proteins and carbohydrates, vitamin B2 and nicotinic acid PP. At the same time, the calorie content of fungi is low, so you can eat them even if you have a tendency to gain excess weight.
Black russula will have a beneficial effect on gastrointestinal ailments, when the blood is too thick and prone to thrombosis. Tasty fungi have a positive effect on the condition of blood vessels and the heart, and help prevent the development of many dangerous diseases.
Of course, with all their many valuable properties, black supplements can also be harmful. Children under 10 years of age, pregnant women and nursing mothers should not eat them; the effect of fungi on the fetus and infant body can be unpredictable. It is better to refrain from using it if you have acute and chronic diseases of the pancreas, or with a stomach ulcer.
Rules for collecting mushrooms
It is best to collect black pods closer to autumn, in August and September, when they are found in maximum numbers in the forests. For collection, areas are traditionally chosen that are remote from highways and industrial facilities; only mushrooms grown in ecologically clean areas will benefit.
Mushroom pickers need to remember that only young black russula are suitable for collection.Adult and old mushrooms, which can be identified by their large size, are most often heavily damaged by worms and are of no culinary value. In addition, their pulp is tasteless and hard, and this defect cannot be eliminated even by long-term processing.
False doubles of black russula
Photos and descriptions of black russula indicate that it has no poisonous counterparts, even if you confuse it with other mushrooms, this will not create a health hazard. Edible counterparts include 2 fungi, also belonging to the genus Russula.
Blackening loader
The mushroom is very similar to nigella, it has the same structure and similar sizes, grows in mixed and deciduous forests, next to birch and pine trees. The main difference between the blackening cap is the more frequent plates on the lower surface of the cap, and the skin on the upper surface of the fungus is darker.
The blackening variety of the mushroom produces a distinct musty odor that is absent from the black cap mushroom. If you break a mushroom in half, its flesh will immediately turn black where it was broken, and will not first become reddish, like that of black russula.
Wavy Russula
Black-purple or wavy russula also looks like a black russula. Normally, the color of the cap is deep cherry, almost purple, but sometimes the color becomes similar to the color of a black cap. The main difference between the mushrooms is that the color of the nigella is less rich and deep than that of the wavy russula, and in the middle of the cap the nigella does not have a dark spot.
Recipes for cooking black russula
Basically, black russula is used for pickling for the winter, and before that it is thoroughly soaked and boiled.The recipe for cold canning of black pickles is popular; if properly salted, they can be stored for almost a year.
- Fresh loadings are soaked throughout the day, periodically changing cold water. When the mushroom caps begin to bend and not break when pressed, they can be removed from the water and begin pickling.
- Black mushrooms are placed in a pickling container with a layer of about 5 cm, and the top is generously sprinkled with salt and spices and spices are added - garlic, bay leaf, dill or horseradish, currant or cherry leaves, pepper.
- After this, the container must be closed, covered with a wooden flat lid and a weight placed on top, and then sent to infuse for 2-3 days at room temperature.
After this time, the load is removed, the container is opened and the next layer of mushrooms, salt and spices is placed in it. The above procedure is repeated until the container is completely filled. At the final stage, add salted boiled water to the salted black loading, seal the jar tightly and put it away for storage.
There is also a recipe for frying black russula. Before this, they must be traditionally soaked, and ideally, boiled for at least 20 minutes in salt water. This will not only eliminate the bitter taste, but will also significantly reduce the time for frying the mushrooms.
The frying process itself looks very simple:
- 250 g of onions and 3-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped and sautéed in oil in a frying pan;
- then add 500 g of chopped black mushrooms to the onions and garlic and turn up the heat;
- stirring, fry the russula until cooked;
- at the last stage, add a little greenery to the pan and keep the mushrooms on the fire for another 2 minutes.
The finished mushrooms can be poured with 1 large spoon of lemon juice and served.
In cooking, black mushrooms go well with chanterelles and other varieties of russula, oyster mushrooms and mokrukha, and other mushrooms. You can eat salted and fried nigella in salads or soups, as side dishes for main courses, and simply as a separate snack.
Conclusion
Black Podgrudok is a rather rare but tasty mushroom, especially well suited for pickling and pickling. With proper collection and subsequent processing, the fungus will bring unconditional benefits to the body and delight it with a pleasant taste.
