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Chestnut Gyroporus (Gyroporus castaneus) is a species of tubular fungus from the Gyroporaceae family and the Gyroporus genus. First described and classified in 1787. Other names:
- chestnut boletus, since 1787;
- Leucobolites castaneus, since 1923;
- chestnut or chestnut mushroom;
- sand or hare mushroom.
What does gyroporus chestnut look like
Gyroporus chestnut has rather large, fleshy hats. The diameter is 2,5-6 cm in young mushrooms, 7-12 cm in mature ones. Only the fruiting bodies that have appeared have ovoid, rounded caps with edges tucked inward. As they grow, they straighten out, acquiring an umbrella-shaped and spherical shape. In overgrowths, the caps become prostrate, even or concave, with slightly raised edges, so that a spongy hymenophore is sometimes visible. Cracks may appear in dry weather.
The surface is matte, slightly velvety, covered with short fluff. By old age they become smooth, without pubescence. The color is uniform or uneven spots, from reddish-reddish, burgundy to brown with a raspberry or ocher tint, it can be pale chocolate, almost beige, or rich brick, chestnut.
The hymenophore is spongy, finely porous, not incremented. In young mushrooms, the surface is even, white, in overripe ones it is cushion-shaped, with notches and irregularities, yellowish or cream. The thickness of the tubular layer can be up to 1,2 cm. The pulp is white, dense, juicy. Becomes brittle with age.
The stem is located in the center of the cap or eccentric. Uneven, may be flattened, with thickenings in the central or lower part. The surface is matte, dry, smooth, often with transverse cracks. The color is rich, bright chestnut, ocher, brown-red. It can also be beige, coffee with milk or light brown. It grows from 2,5 to 9 cm long and 1 to 4 cm thick. The pulp is first solid, dense, later cavities form, and the pulp becomes cotton-like.
Gyroporus chestnut does not change the color of the flesh on the break, remaining white or cream
Where does chestnut gyroporus grow?
Gyroporus chestnut is quite rare. You can see it in deciduous and coniferous forests, on clay and sandy soil. Usually grows in forests, next to trees and in clearings, edges. The distribution area is quite wide: the Krasnodar Territory, the North Caucasus, the Far East, the central and western regions of the Federation, Europe, Asia and North America.
The mushroom picker bears fruit in August-September; in warm areas, the fruiting bodies survive until November. Gyroporus chestnut grows in small close groups, rarely singly.
Gyroporus chestnut is a mycorrhizal species, therefore it does not live without symbiosis with trees
Is it possible to eat chestnut gyroporus
Gyroporus chestnut belongs to the edible species of the second category. Its pulp does not have a pronounced taste or smell, slightly sweetish.
False doubles
Gyroporus chestnut very similar to some fruiting bodies with a spongy hymenophore. Has no poisonous twins.
Gyroporus blue (popularly – “bruise”). Edible. A feature is the ability of the pulp to quickly acquire a rich blue color on a break or cut.
Color beige or ocher brown, yellowish
White mushroom. Edible. It is distinguished by a fleshy, club-shaped leg of an uneven mesh color.
Boletus pulp is not able to change its color
Bile mushroom. Inedible, non-toxic. It has a light brown, slightly grayish cap color. It has a pulp with a distinctly bitter taste that does not disappear with any processing methods. On the contrary, the bitterness only intensifies.
The surface of the leg is unevenly reticulate, with distinctly palpable fibers.
Collection rules
Since chestnut gyroporus is rare and listed as an endangered species, the following rules should be followed when collecting it:
- Carefully cut the fruit bodies under the root with a sharp knife, trying not to disturb the mycelium.
- In no case do not loosen the forest floor, moss or leaves around the found mushrooms – this contributes to the drying and death of the mycelium. It is better to lightly sprinkle the place of the cut with nearby leaves.
- You should not take overgrown and frankly dried, sour or wormy specimens.
The legs of overgrown mushrooms are fibrous-cotton in their structure, so it is better not to take them into the basket
Use
Gyroporus chestnut has its own characteristics of preparation. In the process of cooking in boiling water, the pulp acquires a bitter taste. But dried mushrooms are delicious. Therefore, this type of fruit bodies is used after drying for the preparation of sauces, pies, dumplings “ears”, soups.
Whole young specimens or overgrown caps are taken for drying, since their legs are of no value. Mushrooms should be cleaned of forest debris, cut into thin slices no more than 0,5 cm wide and dried at a temperature of 50-60 degrees to an elastic-crispy consistency. It can be strung on threads near heat sources, dried in a oven or in a special electric dryer. Then the product turns out light, retaining its natural taste and aroma.
Dumplings with dried chestnuts
An excellent hearty dish, suitable for a lean table, for a holiday and for everyday use.
Necessary ingredients:
- dried chestnut gyroporus – 0,3 kg;
- onion – 120 g;
- salt – 6 g;
- pepper – a few pinches;
- oil or lard for frying;
- wheat flour – 0,4 kg;
- egg – 2 pcs .;
- salt – 8 g;
- water – 170 ml.
Method of preparation:
- Soak dry mushrooms for 2-5 hours or in the evening, rinse, pour water and put on the stove.
- Boil and cook over low heat for 30-40 minutes until soft.
- Squeeze, twist into minced meat using a meat grinder or blender.
- In a hot frying pan with oil or lard, put the diced onion, fry until transparent, mix with mushrooms, add salt and pepper.
- For dumplings, sift the flour on a table or board, make a depression in the center.
- Crack eggs into it, add water and salt.
- Knead first with a spoon or spatula, then with your hands, until the dough becomes elastic. It should not stick to your hands.
- It is advisable to leave it under the film in the refrigerator for several hours to “ripen”.
- Divide the dough into pieces, roll out the sausage and cut into cubes.
- Roll each cube into a juice, put the filling, close up with an “ear”.
- Boil in salted boiling water with bay leaf for 8-10 minutes.
It is better to eat them hot, you can add the broth in which the dumplings were cooked.
Appetizing dumplings with dried chestnut can be dipped in sour cream or pepper-vinegar mixture
Conclusion
Gyroporus chestnut is a spongy edible mushroom from the genus Gyroporus. It is rare, listed in the lists of endangered and protected species. It grows in the central and southern regions of Our Country, in the Leningrad region. It can also be seen in Europe, Asia and America. It grows from late summer until frost in deciduous and coniferous forests, preferring dry places, sandy or clay soils. Edible. In terms of nutritional value, chestnut gyroporus is not inferior to white or blue mushrooms, but due to the slight bitterness that appears during cooking, it is used only in dried form. When collecting gyroporus chestnut, care must be taken, because it has an inedible double.
