Is it possible to eat overgrown mushrooms and what to cook from them

Lovers of walks in the forest often come across overgrown mushrooms that grow in groups along with young individuals. Many novice mushroom pickers do not know if they can be collected and what dishes are prepared from overgrowths.

What do old mushrooms look like

Autumn mushrooms are agaric mushrooms growing in coniferous and deciduous forests. They are found in large quantities, from one stump you can collect a whole basket. They got their name due to the arrangement of rings around the remains of trees. In one place, you can find both young individuals and overgrown mushrooms.

To learn how to recognize autumn overgrown mushrooms, you need to know the appearance of young mushrooms. The cap of a young mushroom body is hemispherical, 2-7 mm in diameter, pink, beige or brown. At the top, the cap is covered with scales of a darker tone. The plates are whitish in color, the flesh is white, tender and elastic. The stem is long, thin, 10-15 cm long. By the presence of a skirt on the stem of young fruiting bodies, they are distinguished from false ones.

With age, the cap of overgrown fruits straightens, takes the form of an umbrella, rounded at the edges. The scales disappear, and the color of the cap darkens. It becomes smooth, loses wet oiliness. The legs become longer, the characteristic skirt is barely noticeable or disappears. The pulp of overgrowths turns brown, turns into more rigid and fibrous. The aroma is waning. The photo shows that overgrown mushrooms are significantly different from young ones.

In overgrowths, spores often leave their container and fall on the caps of neighboring mushrooms.

Is it possible to collect overgrown mushrooms

Despite the loss of attractiveness, old autumn mushrooms are quite edible. Fruiting bodies grow quickly, retaining the useful and gustatory qualities of young mushrooms.

Not all copies should be collected. Part of the overgrowth turns black, covered with mold. The lamellar layer crumbles in places, the legs become thin, the overgrown mushroom takes on a rotten appearance. Such fruits should not be collected, they cannot be poisoned, but when eaten, a bitter aftertaste remains.

Overgrowths with a strong fruiting body without signs of damage and worminess are suitable for collection. Pure overgrown mushrooms can be safely collected, they are no less tasty than young mushrooms.

In old autumn mushrooms, only hats are used. The legs become hard, fibrous. It is better to get rid of them right in the forest, so as not to carry extra weight home.

The place of collection should be removed from highways and production areas due to the peculiarity of mushroom pulp to absorb harmful fumes of heavy metals.

How to cook old mushrooms

Overgrown mushrooms can be dried, boiled, salted, fried, pickled. No need to be afraid to use overgrown mushrooms. Dishes with them are not inferior in taste and nutritional value.

Overgrown mushrooms must be properly cleaned. Hats are checked for the presence of worms, dark areas and spore-bearing plates are removed. Peeled fruiting bodies are soaked for 1 hour in salty cold water (1 tablespoon per liter of liquid). The water is changed three times, overgrowths can be a little bitter. Properly processed overgrown mushrooms can be safely eaten.

How to cook overgrown mushrooms

Honey mushrooms are a perishable product. The maximum time before the start of processing is about a day. It is advisable to carry it out immediately after returning from the forest. Overgrowths are sorted out, freed from debris, washed thoroughly. Large hats are cut into four parts. Overgrown mushrooms are cooked as follows:

1. Lightly salted water is brought to a boil in an enamel saucepan.
2. Lay the prepared cuts, cook for 10 minutes, periodically removing the foam.
3. Overgrown mushrooms are thrown into a colander, washed. Again put to boil in clean water. Add salt to taste.
4. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the mushrooms sink to the bottom.
5. Throw in a colander, rinse thoroughly with water.

Honey mushrooms can be frozen. In this form, they retain texture, taste, aroma and beneficial properties.

Before packaging, overgrown blanch:

1. Take two enamel pans. One is put on fire with salted water (1 tablespoon of salt per 1 liter of water), the second is filled with ice water.
2. Mushrooms are dipped in boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
3. Drain the overgrown in a colander, then transfer to a saucepan with ice to cool quickly.
4. Lay on a paper towel to cool completely.

Cooled, dried fruit bodies are placed in plastic containers or small bags.

How to fry old mushrooms

Fried overgrown mushrooms are the most popular recipe. It is possible to fry fruiting bodies both with preliminary boiling and without it. In this case, the overgrowths are thoroughly washed with running water and stewed in a frying pan until the moisture has completely evaporated.

Frozen mushrooms are laid out on a well-heated pan with oil without prior defrosting.

Fried overgrown mushrooms with onions

Ingredients:

• chanterelles – 1 kg;
• onion -2-3 pcs.;
• butter – 30 g;
• salt, greens to taste.

Procedure:

1. Peeled and washed mushrooms are boiled for a quarter of an hour.
2. Onion, cut into half rings, fried in butter.
3. Mushrooms boiled until half cooked are added to the pan, salted, peppered, stewed for 20-25 minutes.
4. When serving, the dish is sprinkled with chopped herbs.

Fried mushrooms with mayonnaise

Ingredients:

• overgrown mushrooms -1 kg;
• vegetable oil – 2 tbsp;
• onions – 2-3 pcs.;
• mayonnaise – 2 tbsp. l;
• herbs to taste.

Procedure:

1. Overgrowths are boiled until half cooked, adding a small amount of citric acid.
2. Onions are cut into half rings, fried in a pan.
3. Combine mushrooms with fried onions, add chopped garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat.
4. Mayonnaise is poured 5 minutes before readiness.
5. The dish is served on the table with chopped green onions or basil.

Preparations from overgrown mushrooms for the winter

The harvest season runs from late August to early October. Autumn is a convenient time for harvesting overgrown mushrooms for the winter. They can be dried, salted, marinated, mushroom caviar can be made.

Pickled overgrown mushrooms

Ingredients:

• overgrown mushrooms – 1 kg;
• vinegar 70% – 1 tablespoon;
• vegetable oil – 3 st. l .;
• sugar, salt – 1 tbsp. l.;
• peppercorns, cloves – 3 pcs.;
• bay leaf -1 pc.;
• garlic, nutmeg to taste.

Procedure:

1. The sorted and washed fruit bodies are soaked for 2 hours in cold water.
2. Boil in salted water for 30 minutes, removing the foam.
3. When the overgrowths sink to the bottom, they are thrown into a colander.
4. Cooked spices are placed in 1 liter of water and marinade is boiled for 3-5 minutes, essence is added at the end of cooking.
5. Sterilize glass jars and metal lids.
6. Finely chop the garlic.
7. Mushrooms are placed in a boiling marinade and boiled for 15 minutes.
8. Put in jars with marinade, add garlic.
9. A layer of hot vegetable oil is poured on top.
10. The jars are rolled up with metal lids.

Mushroom caviar from overgrown mushrooms

For the preparation of mushroom caviar, low-quality overgrowths are suitable: broken, old, with legs. Some mushroom pickers make caviar from legs alone.

Ingredients:

• fresh mushrooms -3 kg;
• vegetable oil – 200 ml;
• onions – 5 pcs.;
• salt to taste.

Procedure:

1. Well-washed overgrown mushrooms are boiled for 20 minutes.
2. Onions are peeled, passed in a meat grinder along with mushrooms.
3. The pan is well heated, poured out part of the oil, spread the ground overgrowths and onions.
4. Stew until the liquid is completely evaporated for about half an hour.
5. Lay out in sterilized jars, pour boiling vegetable oil on top.
6. Cover with lids and store in the refrigerator.

In the refrigerator, the snack will keep for 5-6 months. You can freeze caviar by spreading it in plastic bags. When stored in the cellar, the jars should be closed with metal lids.

Salting recipes for the winter of old mushrooms in a hot and cold way are very simple. In the first case, the appetizer will be ready in 1-2 weeks; with a cold pickling method, readiness occurs in 1-2 months.

Hot salting of overgrown mushrooms

Only strong, intact fruiting bodies are suitable for this preservation method.

Ingredients:

• chanterelles – 2 kg;
• salt – 150 g;
• garlic -3-4 cloves;
• peppercorns 15 pcs.;
• currant leaves, cherries, chopped horseradish leaves.

Procedure:

1. Cleaned and washed overgrowths are boiled for 20 minutes, periodically removing the foam.
2. Throw in a colander, lay out on a napkin.
3. Part of the salt and spices are sent to the bottom of the sterilized jars. Lay a layer of mushrooms hats down. Overlap with a layer of salt and herbs, then again a layer of mushrooms.
4. Fill with broth to the very top, excluding air bubbles.
5. The jars are closed with polyethylene or screw caps and stored in the basement.

Cold salting

Ingredients:

• overgrown mushrooms – 4 kg;
• salt 1 tbsp.;
• peppercorns bay leaf – 10 pcs.;
• dill umbrellas, cherry leaves, currants.

Procedure:

1. A three-liter jar is sterilized.
2. Layers of greens with salt and spices are laid, then overgrown mushrooms to the top of the jar.
3. A clean cloth is placed on top in several layers, oppression is set, and placed in a cool place.
4. After the mushrooms settle, add additional layers until the jar is completely filled.
5. Close with a tight polyethylene lid.

A basement with a temperature of +6-+8˚С is suitable for storing pickles, in such conditions, blanks can be stored from 6 months to a year (prepared by the hot method). At temperatures above +10˚С, mushrooms turn sour, lose their taste.

Useful Tips

Going for mushrooms, you need to choose a forest of a mixed type, where there are a lot of windbreaks and fallen trees. Honey mushrooms often grow in clearings, in clearings.

The main rule of the mushroom picker: when meeting with a suspicious mushroom, it is better to bypass it.

The harvest season has been extended. Once in the forest after a frost, you should not collect overgrowths, seized by frost. At home, they will turn into porridge.

Soaking in salt water will help:

• get rid of worms;
• remove the taste of bitterness;
• free the cap plates from sand.

When you need to quickly clear a large number of mushrooms, this method will speed up processing.

Conclusion

Overgrown mushrooms, compactly located around the stumps, are tasty and healthy mushrooms. They are used to prepare a variety of dishes, preparations for the winter. A knowledgeable mushroom picker will not bypass them, he will find a place in his basket.