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Bernard mushroom (Agaricus Bernardii), its other name is steppe mushroom. Lamellar fungus belonging to the extensive family and genus Agarikovs. Other scientific synonyms common until the thirties of the XX century:
- Psalliota Bernardius;
- Pratella Bernardii;
- Bernard’s mushroom;
- Agaricus plainstris subsp. Bernardius
Mushroom Bernard was first described in the eighties of the XIX century.
What does champignon bernard look like
Bernard’s champignon reaches very large sizes. Only the fruiting body that has appeared has the shape of a ball, with the edges of the cap strongly wrapped inward. Then the top straightens out, taking a spherical shape with a pronounced depression in the center. Adult specimens become umbrella-shaped, with cap edges strongly twisted inward and a funnel-shaped depression in the middle. The diameter of young caps is 2,5-5 cm, adult fruiting bodies reach a size of 8-16 cm.
Bernard’s champignon has a dry, dense cap, slightly velvety to the touch, smooth with a distinct sheen. Small chaotic cracks form a scaly pattern. The cap is creamy white, with dark brown and pinkish-brown spots appearing with age. The color can vary from milky pink to yellowish brown.
The stem is barrel-shaped, relatively short. Covered with white fluff, with a thickening at the root, tapering towards the cap. Dense, fleshy, without voids, pinkish at the break. Mushroom Bernard grows from 2 to 11 cm, with a thickness of 0,8 to 4,5 cm. The color is consonant with the hat or lighter.
The plates are very frequent, not attached to the stem, at first creamy-pink, then darken to coffee and brown-brown. The cover is thick and lasts a long time. In an adult fungus, it remains a membranous ring on a stalk with a thinned edge. Chocolate-colored spores, rather large.
Where does champignon bernard grow?
Bernard’s champignon is a rare mushroom with a limited habitat. It does not occur in the Northern regions of Our Country. Distributed in the steppe zones and deserts, in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, in Europe. Often Bernard’s Mushroom can be found on the sea coasts of North America, in Denver. Likes saline soils: coastal sea areas, along roads sprinkled with chemicals during the winter, in hard-crusted salt marshes. It mostly lives in dense grass, hiding from the sun so that only the tops of the hats are visible. It can be found on lawns, in gardens or parks, forming characteristic “witch circles”.
The mushroom picker bears fruit abundantly, in large groups with separately located specimens, from mid-June to late October.
Is it possible to eat champignon bernard
The pulp of the mushroom is white, dense, fleshy with a rather unpleasant odor. It has a pinkish tint when broken and when squeezed. Bernard’s champignon belongs to category IV conditionally edible fruiting bodies. Its nutritional value is rather low, the taste is not saturated with mushrooms.
False doubles
Bernard’s champignon is similar to some varieties of Agarikov’s own genus.
- Champignon Double Ring. Edible, grows on saline soils and in grass, meadows and fields. It is distinguished by a sour smell, an even hat without cracks, a double ring of the remnants of the bedspread on the leg.
- Champignon ordinary. Edible, differs only in pure white flesh at the break and a flat cap with pronounced sparse scales. The smell is rich mushroom.
- Champignon yellowskin (redhead or pecheritsa). Very poisonous. Bernard’s champignon is almost indistinguishable from him outwardly. It has bright yellow blotches on the cap and leg. When cut, the flesh acquires a yellowish color and emits an unpleasant phenolic odor.
- Stinking toadstool (White) – Deadly poisonous. It differs from Mushroom Bernard in its even, bright white, slightly creamy color throughout the stem and cap, a slightly sticky surface after rain. It has an unpleasant smell of rotting potatoes.
- Pale grebe (fly agaric green) is deadly poisonous. It is distinguished by a brownish-olive color of the cap and a noticeable thickening at the root of the stem. Young fruiting bodies are difficult to distinguish by smell, they have a pleasant mushroom, but the old ones have a rich rotten aroma.
Rules for collection and use
Mushroom Bernard is recommended to be harvested young, when the edges of the cap are still clearly wrapped down, and the plates are covered with a film. It is best to grab the edges and, pressing lightly, unscrew it from the mycelium. Do not take overgrown, dried, spoiled specimens.
Bernard’s champignon can be used fried, boiled, frozen, as well as salted and pickled. Fruiting bodies should be cleaned and washed well before cooking. Do not soak them for more than 30 minutes in salted water, otherwise the product will become watery. Clean caps and legs from dirt and films. Cut large specimens into pieces. Pour water into a saucepan, salt at the rate of 1 tsp. per liter, boil and add mushrooms. Boil for only 7-8 minutes, removing the foam. The product is ready for further processing.
Drying
Mushroom Bernard has a surprisingly mild taste when dried. To do this, the fruiting bodies must be cleaned of films and debris. Do not wash or wet. Cut into thin slices and hang on strings. It can also be dried in electric dryers or in a oven. The dried product can be ground in a mixer or meat grinder to obtain a nutritious mushroom powder.
Mushroom Bernard fried with potatoes and sour cream
A simple hearty dish loved by generations of avid mushroom pickers.
Ingredients:
- boiled champignon Bernarda – 1 kg;
- potatoes – 1 kg;
- garlic-turnip – 120 g;
- sour cream – 100 ml;
- vegetable oil – 30-50 ml;
- salt, pepper, herbs to taste.
Method of preparation:
- Rinse vegetables, peel, cut into strips. Put the onion in a hot frying pan with oil and fry.
- Add potatoes, salt, pepper, put boiled mushrooms, fry over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Add sour cream mixed with chopped herbs and simmer covered for 10 minutes.
The finished dish can be eaten as is or served with fresh salad, meatballs, chops.
Stuffed champignon Bernard
For stuffing, large, even specimens are needed.
Ingredients:
- boiled champignon Bernarda – 18 pcs.;
- boiled chicken fillet – 190 g;
- hard cheese – 160 g;
- garlic-turnip – 100 g;
- sour cream – 30-40 ml;
- vegetable oil – 30-40 ml;
- salt, pepper, herbs to taste.
Method of preparation:
- Peel, wash and cut the onion into cubes or strips. Fry in oil until transparent.
- Cut off the stems of the mushrooms, chop finely, add salt, pepper, add to the onion and fry for 5-8 minutes.
- Grind the fillet in any convenient way, grate the cheese coarsely.
- Mix meat with roast, add greens, sour cream. Taste and adjust if needed.
- Grate the caps with salt, put on a baking sheet, stuff with minced meat, sprinkle with cheese.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, put the food and bake for 20-30 minutes.
A delicious dish is ready.
Mushroom Bernard marinated
One of the most popular ways of harvesting for the winter.
Ingredients:
- boiled champignon Bernarda – 2,5 kg;
- water – 2,5 l;
- vinegar 9% – 65 ml;
- dill stalks with umbrellas – 90 g;
- horseradish, currant, oak leaves (what is available) – 10 pcs.;
- garlic – 10 cloves;
- bay leaf – 9 pcs .;
- peppercorns – 20 pcs.;
- sugar – 40 g;
- salt – 50 of
Method of preparation:
- In an enamel bowl, mix water and all dry foods, boil the marinade.
- Add chopped mushrooms and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring and removing the foam.
- 5 minutes before readiness, pour in the vinegar.
- Arrange garlic, dill, green leaves in a prepared container.
- Put the boiling mushrooms, kneading tightly, pour over the marinade, seal hermetically.
- Turn upside down, wrap for a day in a warm blanket.
Conclusion
Bernard’s champignon is an edible agaric that prefers saline soils and grassy steppes. When collecting or buying it, maximum attention should be exercised, since it has deadly poisonous counterparts. From this fruiting body, excellently tasty dishes are obtained. Bernard’s champignon can be used both immediately after harvest and in preparations for the winter. Boiled frozen mushrooms remarkably retain their natural taste and aroma, they can be used for cooking first and second courses, salads.
