Russula blue: mushroom description, photo

Blue russula is an edible mushroom that is ideal for frying and preserving for the winter. Also, due to its antibacterial action, it is often used in folk medicine, in the treatment of abscesses and abscesses. The blue russula has poisonous counterparts, in order not to make a mistake in choosing, you need to study the description, view photos and videos.

Where do blue russula grow

Blue russula grows in deciduous and coniferous forests of the Baltic States and the European part of Our Country. Since the species often grows in large families, you can get a good mushroom harvest from one clearing. Collection is carried out from August to the end of September.

What do blue russulas look like

Blue russula or azure has a small fleshy cap with a diameter of up to 80 mm. In small specimens, the hat is hemispherical or convex in shape, in old ones it is flat and fragile.

The surface is covered with a blue amethyst, dark purple or sky olive film, which can be easily removed when cleaning. Snow-white dense pulp does not change color after mechanical damage. The bottom of the cap is covered with white forked-branched plates.

The leg is dense, fleshy, snow-white. The length does not exceed 50 mm. In young specimens, the pulp is dense, fleshy, in old mushrooms it is fibrous and multi-chambered.

Is it possible to eat blue russula

Blue russula belongs to the 3rd group of edibility. It is wonderful in fried, stewed, salted and pickled form.

The taste of the mushroom

The pulp of the blue russula is odorless and has an excellent taste. Mushrooms reveal their taste in a salty form. To improve the taste of russula, you can pickle it along with mushrooms, mushrooms, milk mushrooms and other agaric mushrooms.

Benefits and harm to the body

Blue russula is an edible mushroom, the pulp contains vitamins and trace elements. There is more than 20% protein in the tissues, so dishes prepared from mushrooms can replace meat and fish. They also have antibacterial properties, so they are used in traditional medicine to get rid of abscesses and skin diseases. This species is able to turn milk into cottage cheese, as a result, you can get a delicious fermented milk product, which is recommended for people with cardiovascular diseases.

Blue russula is not recommended for use:

• with gastrointestinal diseases;
• children up to 7 years;
• with pathology of the gallbladder;
• with renal failure.

False doubles

To avoid inedible twins in the basket, you need to know the distinctive characteristics. For a poisonous specimen:

• the root zone is painted pink;
• the lamellar layer is rough and thick;
• dense pulp;
• Strong smell;
• bright hat;
• there is a skirt on the leg;
• the flesh is bitter.

In order not to make a mistake during mushroom hunting, you need to know the common inedible species:

1. Pale grebe is the most dangerous specimen that can be fatal. A characteristic difference between a pale grebe and a russula is a skirt on a leg, a greenish hat, clean snow-white plates and a neutral taste.

   

2. Burning russula – this species belongs to conditionally edible mushrooms. They have a light red cap, fragile snow-white flesh, a delicate fruity aroma and an unpleasant taste. It is better not to take these mushrooms during harvesting, as the pulp contains muscarine, which can cause food poisoning.

   

3. The yellowing russula is an inedible specimen with a red-brown or purple cap, yellow dense flesh and a fruity aroma. The taste is burning, bitter, unpleasant. Leg with a pink-violet tint, the skin from the cap is removed poorly. When eaten, the yellowing russula can cause nausea, vomiting, and indigestion.

   

If, due to inexperience and ignorance, false twins are caught in the basket, you need to know the signs of poisoning and how to provide first aid.

The first symptoms are:

• epigastric pain;
• nausea and vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• heaviness in the right hypochondrium;
• lethargy or excessive excitability;
• tachycardia;
• lowering blood pressure;
• loss of consciousness.

When the first signs appear before the arrival of the medical team, the following measures must be taken:

• induce vomiting;
• drink a laxative;
• give the patient a horizontal position;
• put heat on the stomach and legs;
• drink warm sweet tea;
• call an ambulance.

Collection rules

The collection of blue russula is carried out from mid-August to the end of September. 8 recommendations to follow when hunting mushrooms:

1. The collection cannot be carried out along the highway, near industrial enterprises and near gas stations. Since mushroom pulp quickly absorbs toxic substances and can cause food poisoning.
2. Collect only familiar specimens.
3. Mushroom harvest is best stored in shallow baskets made from natural material.
4. Blue russula should have a solid leg and snow-white plates.
5. If a wormy copy got into the basket, then it will quickly infect its fellows.
6. The blue russula is cut off with a knife or carefully twisted so that the mycelium is not damaged.
7. Collection is best done in the morning, in dry sunny weather.
8. Arriving home, the mushroom crop is immediately cleaned and put into processing.

Application

Blue russula is a healthy and tasty look. It is fried, marinated and salted. Before cooking, the mushrooms are washed, cleaned of the ground, and the skin is removed from the cap. Prepared blue russula must be cooked immediately, as the flesh may darken and become bitter.

Blue russula natural

Peeled mushrooms are boiled in salted, acidified water. For 2 liters of water, take 40 g of coarse salt, 10 g of citric acid or juice from ½ lemon. 20 minutes after boiling, blue russula is laid out in sterile jars and poured with hot brine. The jars are sterilized for about half an hour, corked with lids and, after cooling, they are stored in a cool room.

Salted blue russula

For 2 kg of mushrooms, 4 tbsp. l. coarse salt, 5 peas of allspice, bay leaf, dill seeds, horseradish, currant, cherry and oak leaves.

Pour 250 ml of water into a saucepan, add salt and bring to a boil. Mushrooms are placed in hot brine, spices are added and boiled for about 15 minutes. The prepared preservation is laid out in jars, poured with brine and cleaned for a month in a cool room.

Mushroom spawn

Washed and peeled blue russula are boiled in salted water for about half an hour. Boiled mushrooms are transferred to a colander, oppression is established and left to eliminate the liquid. After 3 hours, the mushrooms are crushed, onion gruel, salt and spices are added. The prepared caviar is laid out in sterile jars and put away for storage.

Conclusion

Blue russula is a delicious mushroom that can be used to prepare a variety of culinary dishes. When picking mushrooms, it is necessary to take only familiar specimens, since false russula can lead to food poisoning.