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The morel cap outwardly resembles the dome of a closed umbrella with a wavy surface. This is a mushroom from the Morel family, the genus Hats. It is considered the earliest mushroom in a temperate climate, classified as conditionally edible.
Description of the morel cap
Morel cap (pictured) is an early spring mushroom that grows up to 15 cm in height. Coloration depends on age and place of growth. In young specimens, the color is brown, as they grow older, it turns yellow or dark beige. The flesh is creamy, thin on the cap, fleshy on the stem, brittle, has a pleasant smell and mild taste.
Cap Description
The upper part of the fruit body is cone-shaped with an uneven, wavy, vertically folded surface. It is attached to the stem in the center, the edges are lowered.
The photo shows an adult morel cap mushroom, at any stage of the growing season the cap does not open. Its average length is 4-6 cm, width is 4 cm. The surface is dry, smooth, slightly transparent.
Description of the leg
The shape is cylindrical, slightly laterally compressed, can be upright or curved. Wider at the base than at the top. There are specimens with a leg fused at the mycelium.
In old mushrooms, the structure is rigid, hollow, fibrous, the surface is finely scaly. In young specimens, whole, with porous pulp. Length – 10-15 cm, width – 2,5 cm. 1/3 of the length of the leg is covered with a hat.
What is another name for a beanie hat?
Morel cap mushroom is known under different names:
- Verpa Czech;
- morel conical cap;
- Morchella bohemica;
- morel tender;
- cap.
The species gets its name from its resemblance to the more well-known and common edible morel.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
The fruit body in its raw form has an aroma, but no taste. It cannot be consumed without special treatment, because it contains toxic substances that can cause mild poisoning. In European countries, the fungus is classified as an inedible allergen. In Our Country, the species is listed in the last category in terms of nutritional value, it can only be consumed after hot processing.
How to cook a morel hat
Preliminary processing:
- The harvested crop is pre-soaked (for 2 hours) in cold salted water with the addition of citric acid. During this time, insects will leave the fruiting body and debris will settle.
- Cut off the stem at the base.
- Then the mushrooms are boiled for 15-20 minutes, the broth is drained, because it contains toxins.
- Mushrooms are washed with hot water, the liquid is allowed to drain.
After processing, the raw material is ready for use. You can cook a morel hat, like any mushroom. Fruiting bodies are fried, stewed with vegetables, soup is boiled. Treated caps can be dried, they will not lose their shape and flavor. Verpa Czech is used for winter harvesting or frozen in a freezer. Fruiting bodies are versatile in use, have a good taste.
How to pickle
Spring mushrooms as a blank are best cooked with marinade. The technology involves heat treatment. One of the simple recipes for pickled morel cap contains the following ingredients:
- 2 kg processed caps;
- 1 L of water;
- 2 tsp. salts;
- 0,5 tsp citric acid;
- 2 Art. liter. sugar;
- 5 tbsp. l. vinegar (6%);
- 5 pcs. bay leaf.
Pepper and cloves are added as desired.
Recipe sequence:
- Sterilize jars, fill with mushrooms.
- All ingredients (except vinegar) are added to the water.
- Boil for 10 minutes, add vinegar.
- Mushrooms are poured with boiling marinade.
- Roll up lids.
Banks are wrapped in a blanket and left for a day, then transferred to the cellar.
How to bake in sour cream
The recipe is for 0,5 kg of processed caps. Dish ingredients:
- 2 tbsp. l. butter;
- 50 g hard cheese;
- 1 Art. l flour;
- 1 egg;
- 250 g sour cream.
Preparation of morel cap in sour cream:
- Mushrooms are cut, fried in oil.
- Add salt and spices to taste.
- Add flour, fry for 3 minutes.
- Pour in sour cream, simmer for 5 minutes.
The contents of the pan are laid out on a baking sheet, poured with a beaten egg, sprinkled with cheese. Bake at t +180 0C to golden.
How to pickle
Recipe for salting a morel cap:
- 1 kg of processed fruit bodies are placed in a container.
- Pour a mass of 50 g of salt.
- Put oppression on top.
- Leave for 12 hours.
During this time, under the influence of salt, the caps will give liquid. Add to the mass 0,5 tbsp. water and bring to a boil. Bay leaves, pepper, currant leaves in a small amount are thrown into the brine, boiled for 2 minutes. Mushrooms are packaged in jars, closed with nylon lids.
Where and how does the morel cap grow?
The species cannot be called common, it is rare. The term of biological life is short, in 2 days the fruiting body ages and disappears. The first colonies appear in early May, harvesting lasts about 10 days. The morel cap grows in groups on moist soil of mixed forests, along the banks of reservoirs in reed thickets. The main accumulation of the species is observed in the European and Central parts of Our Country. Can be found in the Leningrad region, less often in the foothills of the North Caucasus.
What mushrooms can be confused with a morel cap
The species does not have an official double; rather, the morel cap belongs to the false morels. At first glance, the cap looks like a stitch.
Upon closer examination, there are clear differences. The shape of the cap at the line is raised up, not located in a dome on the stem, divided into several lobes. Leg, expanded upwards in the form of a funnel, with an uneven surface. The color of the upper part of the fruit is always darker than the lower. It grows on roadsides and in coniferous forests.
What is the difference between a morel cap and a morel cap
There are no obvious differences between morel and morel cap. These species are easily confused.
They grow at the same time, prefer damp soils. They belong to the same group of conditionally edible. And the method of processing fruiting bodies is no different. If the two species are mixed during collection, nothing bad will happen.
They grow in numerous groups, the first specimens are found at the end of April. The biological cycle of the species is short. The size is larger than the caps, they can weigh up to 350 g. Inside the fruit bodies are hollow, the structure is fragile. The hat is round or ovoid, fused along the edge with the stem, which differs from the Czech Verpa. The surface is formed in the form of deep cells of various shapes. Young specimens are light beige, the older the specimen, the darker the color. There are dark brown with a gray tint. Leg of the same size with a hat, tuberous, cream or white, thickened at the base. For comparison, the top photo shows a morel, below the Czech Verpa.
Conclusion
Morel cap is an early spring species growing on moist soils of mixed forests, on the banks of lakes, small rivers, and wetlands. It occurs from the North Caucasus to the European part. Fruit bodies are universal in processing, suitable for harvesting for the winter, they can be dried and frozen.
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