Content
The Russula family includes a large number of varieties with all kinds of colors and nutritional value. Greenish russula is an edible representative of the species with an unusual color and taste, which are fully revealed after heat treatment.
Where do greenish russulas grow?
The distribution area of greenish russula in Russia is the Far East, the Urals, the Central part, and Siberia. Greenish russula is found in forests near Moscow and near St. Petersburg. The variety is quite common and popular among mushroom pickers.
Prefers to grow in acidic soils of coniferous, mixed or deciduous forests. You can often find single specimens in an open clearing under birch trees. Does not grow in families of 2-3 pieces, it is rare. The mycelium is located mainly under the coniferous or leaf cushion; greenish russula is a rare phenomenon on mosses. A moderately humid environment is better suited for it than a waterlogged place in the shade.
What do greenish russulas look like?
The greenish russula practically does not change color during the entire growth period; the greenish color of a mature specimen is diluted with white areas in the form of a grid with various cell sizes. Based on the characteristic pattern on the surface of the cap, the mushroom is also called scaly russula.
The external characteristics are as follows:
- The cap is greenish in color; the young mushroom is a shade darker than the mature one. The shape is round, sloping, with a slight depression in the center. The edges are smooth or slightly jagged, concave inward in young specimens; at the old edge the caps are often raised upward. Diameter – 15 cm. The protective film is slippery and sticky.
- The spore-bearing plates are large, sparsely located, beige at the base, yellow towards the edge of the cap. The controversial powder is white.
- The leg is thick, short, and can be straight or curved. The surface is uneven, the structure is solid, dense.
The flesh of the greenish mushroom is brittle, which complicates transportation during collection, tasteless, white, with a slight nutty odor.
Is it possible to eat greenish russula?
Mushrooms of this type are classified as category 4 in terms of suitability for consumption. The group includes conditionally edible specimens; greenish russulas occupy a leading position in nutritional value among the family.They have a good taste and a pleasant subtle aroma, and do not contain toxins. The chemical composition is very diverse, all substances are useful to humans to one degree or another.
Taste qualities of mushroom
Raw fruiting bodies have weak taste, the flesh is insipid, and the smell is barely perceptible. After boiling or frying, the gastronomic qualities of greenish russula are significantly enhanced, resulting in a dish with a pleasant mushroom taste and nutty aroma. The fragile structure complicates processing; the top film is easily removed, but the fruiting body requires careful handling.
Benefits and harm to the body
Greenish russula is not inferior in nutritional value to category 1 mushrooms. The product is non-caloric, with a low glycemic level. Mushrooms are included in the diet of overweight people and high blood sugar. The chemical composition of the fruiting body includes:
- Vitamins: nicotinic and ascorbic acid, riboflavin.
- Macro- and microelements: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron.
- The protein content is 1.7 g, the structure is not inferior to protein of animal origin.
- Carbohydrates – within 1.5 g.
- Fats – 0.8 g.
Substances are completely preserved after processing and participate in the functioning of almost all body systems:
- lecithins are a building material for the cell membrane, improve the condition of the liver and blood vessels, and prevent the appearance of cholesterol formations;
- fiber participates in the functioning of the digestive tract, acts as an absorbent, removes toxins and waste;
- riboflavin stabilizes the emotional background, relieves irritation and stress;
- immunostimulants increase the body's resistance to infection;
- sterols in the composition stimulate the endocrine system, increase testosterone production, which is important for men;
- iron is involved in hematopoiesis and increases hemoglobin levels.
It is not recommended to eat mushrooms:
- women during pregnancy and lactation;
- children under 5 years old;
- people with an allergic reaction to the constituent elements.
False doubles
The greenish russula does not have an officially recognized false double. But depending on the composition of the soil and lighting, the greenish color of the cap may be less or more intense. At first glance, the mushroom looks like a fly agaric.
This type of fly agaric is the same size as the greenish mushroom and also has scales on the surface. If the russula has a cross-section on the cap in the form of a pattern, then the fly agaric has convex fragments that are easily separated from the surface. The shape is round, without a depression in the center. The types differ in the structure of the fruit stalk: the poisonous mushroom has a ring at the top, while the greenish russula does not. The smell of a poisonous representative is sharp, specific, and repulsive.
Another similarity is not in favor of the greenish russula with the toadstool - the most toxic mushroom in nature.
Here the similarity is more obvious than with fly agarics, since the latter in a light color is a rare phenomenon, mainly this species has a red cap. But the toadstool can be dark yellow, lemon or greenish. The structure of the mushrooms is similar in appearance: the same sloping shape, with a depression in the center.
Poisonous and edible specimens are distinguished by their upper protective layer: in the toadstool it is dry, without a pattern, and monochromatic. According to the structure of the leg, the pale grebe grows from a fruit egg, which remains for the entire period of growth and, like the fly agaric, has a ring in the upper part. The smell of the poisonous mushroom is cloying and sweet.
Collection rules
Greenish russula is collected from July to the end of September; the duration of the autumn season depends on precipitation. Mushrooms are taken only from environmentally friendly areas. Greenish russula located near landfills, gas stations or in the vicinity of chemical plants absorb and accumulate heavy metals from the soil and air and become toxic. It is also not recommended to pick mushrooms along the sides of highways, exhaust gases completely reduce the nutritional value of the mushroom, and the composition contains carcinogens.
Use
Greenish russulas are the most delicious and sought after among their family. Mushrooms can be:
- add to soup;
- fry with potatoes and onions;
- stew with vegetables;
- bake with sour cream and cheese;
- use as a filling for baked goods.
Greenish russulas are dried. Freeze boiled and raw. Salting mushrooms will not work, there is a small amount of water in the fruiting body, and the recipe calls for the use of oppression, the greenish russula will not be able to maintain its integrity. You can pickle mushrooms, but the subtle aroma and taste are overwhelmed by the spices.
Conclusion
Greenish russula is a conditionally edible mushroom of the 4th category. The mushroom was included in the last group because of its bland taste and weak odor in its raw form. Gastronomic qualities are enhanced only after heat treatment. This variety is popular among mushroom pickers; russula is the most delicious and versatile in processing.
