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Many people love mushrooms for their unusual taste. You can prepare a mushroom dish from a product purchased in a store, or you can go into the forest and pick mushrooms with your own hands.However, you need to learn to understand them so as not to take poisonous specimens and get poisoned by them. The photo and description of the gray row, which will be discussed in this article, give an idea of what it looks like.
What do gray row mushrooms look like?
Gray Ryadovka is one of the species (Tricholoma portentosum) of the Ryadovka genus. These are lamellar mushrooms with a pronounced (from 4 to 10 cm in diameter) fleshy cap. In young specimens it is convex and round-conical, with a tubercle in the middle; in older specimens it is uneven and more flattened. The edge of the cap is wavy; in young mushrooms it is turned up. As it grows, it straightens, can bend towards the top, and crack. The caps range from pale grayish to dark gray tones, with a hint of olive or purple. Their surface is smooth, and if damp, it is covered with mucus.
The pulp of the rows is white or grayish, with yellowness at the break. The structure is dense in the cap, loose and fibrous in the stem. The stem of this mushroom is from 4 to 15 cm long, 1-2 cm thick. It is classically cylindrical in shape, thicker at the base than at the top. Over time, the leg becomes hollow. The color of its lower part is white with yellowish or grayish; at the top there is a powdery coating. Usually the legs of the rows are well rooted and located deep in the ground.
A description of gray row mushrooms will be incomplete without a photo in which you can clearly see them.
Where does the hatched row grow?
Hatched is another name for the gray row. The distribution area is the temperate climate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Gray row grows in pine or mixed forest.Prefers sandy soils, settles in the layer of fallen leaves and pine needles, in moss. It can be found in single specimens or in groups stretched in a row. Next to it you can often find a greenfinch mushroom. This is another row, but of a different species (Tricholoma equestre), with a greenish color that remains even after processing.
Is it possible to eat autumn gray rower?
It ripens just in the fall, at which time its flesh becomes dense, a little crunchy, but remains tender. According to mushroom pickers, these gray rows are the most delicious. Therefore, it is in the fall that they are collected, then they are sold on the market. You can collect even after frost and the first snow. In frozen specimens, the caps become brownish rather than gray.
Taste qualities of the gray row mushroom
This is an edible species; mushrooms can be processed: boiled, fried, pickled, canned with salt. But it is recommended to boil them first, and then fry or marinate. This will rid the mushrooms of any toxins that may have accumulated in them. After cooking, the flesh remains gray or gray-white, with a slightly chestnut tint. Both young and fully mature rows are suitable for food. You can prepare dishes from frozen specimens during autumn frosts.
The benefits and harms of gray rowing
If you cook gray mushrooms correctly, they are undoubtedly healthy. They have an antimicrobial effect due to the biologically active substances in their composition, as well as an immunomodulatory effect. Their use improves metabolism, removes toxins, increases the performance of the brain and the whole body. There is also a positive effect on the mental sphere - they eliminate fatigue and prevent the development of depressive states.Harm from gray rowers can occur if they are eaten raw, without pre-treatment.
When to collect gray rows
The fruiting bodies of the gray rows ripen in the fall and can be collected from September to November. Most mushrooms can be found in the 1st half of October. In the southern regions they can be collected even later - in November or even December. Late ripening is one of the advantages of gray rows, because they can be collected when there are no other mushrooms.
How to distinguish edible gray rows
When collecting gray row, you must remember that it can be confused with similar rows, because in the genus to which it belongs there are not only edible and conditionally edible, but also poisonous species.
You should not collect in the forest:
- soap row (it is given away by the smell of laundry soap, clearly visible on the break);
- pointed row (poisonous gray row, can be distinguished by a sharp tubercle on the cap, has a burning taste);
- the row is different (it has a greenish leg and a very unpleasant smell);
- striped row (inedible, has more strokes on the cap):
- brindle or gray false row (it has a lot of dark scales on its cap).
You can also eat the gray pine or matsutake row (it has a superior taste to the gray one and is considered an excellent mushroom) and the earthy one (it is smaller, has a gray cap without a tint and has no aroma).
How to cook gray rows
Collected specimens can be prepared immediately or prepared for the winter. Processing options are the same as for other mushrooms, that is, boiling, stewing, frying, salting, pickling and drying. You can choose any method depending on the number of mushrooms and the skill of the housewife.
How to cook gray row mushrooms
All raw materials must be fresh; the less time passes from the moment of collection, the better. Ideally, gray rows should be prepared within 24 hours after they are cut.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg of product;
- salt - 1 tbsp. l.;
- citric acid - ¼ tsp;
- bay leaf and cloves - 2-3 pcs.;
- 5-8 peas of allspice.
Preparation procedure:
- Clean the caps and stems from dirt, stuck blades of grass, sand, cut out the darkened areas. If the contamination is severe, you need to remove the skin, which comes off easily, just pick it up with a knife.
- Rinse the peeled mushrooms in cold water.
- Pour water into a large saucepan at the rate of 1 liter per 1 kg, add salt (1 tablespoon per 1 liter) and citric acid. Boil water.
- Pour the gray rows into boiling water and cook them for a third of an hour over moderate heat, covering the dish with a lid.
- Add spices halfway through cooking.
- When cooking is complete, remove the pan from the stove, drain the water, and place the mushrooms on a plate.
Boiled gray rows can be added to soups, salads, sauces; this is an excellent side dish for meat and potato dishes.
How to pickle gray rows
Marinated mushrooms are easy and quick to prepare.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg of product;
- 1 tbsp. l. Sahara;
- 2 tbsp. l. salt;
- 100 ml vinegar;
- 2 bay leaves;
- dill umbrella;
- 3 currant leaves;
- 0.5-1 heads of garlic;
- 5 peas of allspice;
- 2-3 cloves.
Preparation procedure:
- Sort through the gray mushrooms, remove all wormy and spoiled ones. Rinse the remaining ones thoroughly so that they are free of dirt.
- Place them in a saucepan, add water and boil for 10 minutes.
- Add spices, salt and sugar, cook for another 10 minutes. 1-2 minutes before readiness, add vinegar and stir.
- Remove from heat, leave to cool and infuse.
Store the preparations in the refrigerator.
Gray mushrooms can be pickled not only for direct consumption, but also for winter preparations. According to the recipe for preparing gray rows for the winter, you will need the following ingredients:
- 1.5 kg of product;
- 0.5 l of wine vinegar;
- 1 onion and carrot;
- 1 tbsp. l. sugar, salt;
- 50 ml vinegar;
- sweet peas - 8 pcs.;
- cloves - 3 pcs.;
- laurel - 3 pcs.
Preparation procedure:
- Clean the caps and legs and rinse well under running water. Cut the largest of them into pieces.
- Place the preparations in a pan and boil for 15-20 minutes. Skim off foam as soon as it appears.
- Prepare the marinade: finely chop the onion and carrots, pour in wine vinegar, add spices and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the prepared marinade to the rows and boil together for another 5 minutes.
- Divide the mixture into 0.5 liter jars and roll up. Cool by wrapping the jars in something warm.
Cook gray mushrooms and marinade in a non-metallic container to avoid oxidation. The finished preserves should be stored in the cold and dark, with minimal humidity. Shelf life - 1 year.
How to salt gray rows
Gray rows collected in late autumn are best suited for pickling. They turn out denser and crispier. For pickling, it is advisable to collect medium-sized mushrooms; large ones become harsh.
There are several ways to salt.
Ingredients:
- 10 kg rows;
- 0.4 kg salt;
- garlic - 2 large heads;
- hot peppers;
- dill seeds - 1 tbsp. l.;
- horseradish leaf;
- 3-5 currant, cherry and bay leaves.
Preparation procedure:
- Peel, soak the mushrooms and rinse them.
- Place in a saucepan in layers, sprinkling each layer with salt and seasonings.You need to complete the styling with a layer of spices.
- Press down with pressure and leave for a while until the mushrooms settle.
- Add rows to restore volume.
- Cover the pan with a lid and place in a dark, cool place.
The pickling will be ready in 1.5 months.
For the winter, salted mushrooms are prepared using cold and hot methods. If you pour hot water, they will salt faster and will be ready in a few days. Salting with cold water takes longer, but the finished product is tastier and crispier.
For cold salting you will need the following ingredients:
- 10 kg of mushrooms;
- 0.5 kg salt;
- garlic, dill, bay, sweet peas.
Preparation procedure:
- Clean and wash the gray rows, cut the largest ones into pieces.
- Place in a saucepan and simmer for no more than 2 minutes.
- Place the cooled mushrooms in jars, topping with spices and salt.
- Cover with plastic lids and refrigerate.
The pickling will be ready and tasteful in 1.5 months.
For hot pickling you will need the following ingredients:
- 10 kg of raw materials;
- 10 liters of water;
- 75 g salt;
- spices - bay leaf, cloves, peas.
The procedure for preparing the sulfur row according to this recipe:
- Boil water in a large saucepan.
- Put spices in it.
- Add mushrooms and cook for 0.5 hours.
- Place into small jars and fill with hot salty solution.
- Close with simple lids.
- Place the jars in a cold, dark place.
The preparations will become salty within a week, but it is better to leave them for a month so that they reach maximum taste. You can store salted mushrooms prepared using hot and cold methods until spring.
How to fry gray rows
To prepare mushrooms according to the simplest recipe, you only need sunflower oil, salt and ground pepper.For 3 kg, 0.2 liters of oil, spices and salt to taste will be enough.
Preparation procedure:
- Wash the peeled mushrooms and cut into slices.
- Boil in salted liquid for 20 minutes, drain.
- Place in a dry frying pan, fry until excess liquid evaporates, add oil, fry for another 0.5 hours.
- Add spices and salt almost at the end of frying.
If you can’t eat the dish right away, store it in the refrigerator.
Fried gray rows closed in jars in winter can be added to potatoes, put in soups, etc.
Ingredients:
- rows - 3 kg;
- oil - 1 tbsp.;
- onion - 0.5 kg;
- 1 tbsp. l. salt;
- 1 tsp. mixture of peppers.
Sequence of frying gray mushrooms with onions for the winter:
- Boil for 20 minutes and cool.
- First fry in a frying pan so that the liquid evaporates. Stir constantly during the process.
- Pour in ½ part of the oil and fry a little.
- Fry onion, cut into half rings, with 2nd half of the oil.
- Add onions to mushrooms, add spices, salt.
- Divide the mixture into small steamed containers and cover with tin lids.
- Leave to cool under the blanket for a day.
Store the preparations on the refrigerator shelf or, if you have your own home, in the cellar.
Conclusion
The photo and description of the gray row will help those who want to try to collect it in the forest on their own. If you then cook the mushrooms correctly, they will become an excellent appetizer that can be served on weekdays and holidays.
