Boletus mushrooms: description of types and cooking options. When to collect boletus mushrooms Which mushroom grows under which tree

Boletus mushrooms are mushrooms of the genus Leccinum. Another name for this group of mushrooms is “obabok”.

Appearance and description

The common boletus has convex brown caps with a diameter of up to 15 cm. In mature mushrooms, they are matte and dry. The tubular layer of these mushrooms is light (in older ones it is gray) with small pores. The legs of boletus mushrooms are dense and longitudinally fibrous, up to 17 cm high and 1-3 cm thick. Their color is whitish, but there are black-brown or gray longitudinal scales on the surface.

The flesh of young mushrooms is quite tender, but dense and light in color. Later it becomes watery and loose. The legs inside are fibrous and quite hard.

Kinds

The following types of boletus are distinguished:

Ordinary

The color of the caps of this species can be of different colors, the flesh is white. Distributed in the forests of America and Eurasia.

Multicolored

Bolotny

This type of boletus is distinguished by its almost white cap and its growth near swamps. Its pulp is very loose and boils very soft when cooked, so this mushroom is eaten only when it is young.

Grey

Another name for this species is “hornbeam”, since its mycorrhiza is most often formed with hornbeams. Ripens from June to October. This mushroom is valued less than the common boletus due to the less dense flesh of its caps.

Black

A characteristic feature of this species is the dark color of the cap (it can be black or dark brown). Another name for the species is “blackhead”. Found in birch and pine forests, loves damp places.

Harsh

Also called hard boletus and poplar boletus. Mycorrhiza in this fungus forms with poplars and aspens. This mushroom loves calcareous soil. Its dense flesh is very rarely affected by worms.

Chess

It is also called blackening, because when cut, the flesh of such a mushroom acquires a red-violet-brown hue and then turns black. Mycorrhiza of this fungus is formed with beeches and oaks.

Pinkish

The peculiarity of this type of boletus is that when broken, its flesh acquires a pink tint. It grows in birch forests in damp and swampy places.

Ash gray

It is distinguished by light brown caps and white flesh that turns pink when cut.

Where does it grow

You can meet boletus in deciduous forests, most often next to birch trees. These mushrooms also grow in mixed forests. They grow both individually and in large groups. Often boletus can be found at the edges of forest roads.

How to find in the forest

Ripening of boletus mushrooms begins at the end of May. You can find these mushrooms in the forest until mid-October. Since the pulp of mature mushrooms is loose, collecting boletus mushrooms is recommended at a young age.

It is important to distinguish boletus mushrooms from gall mushrooms, which are characterized by:

• unpleasant taste;
• pinkish color of the tubes;
• mesh leg pattern;
• “greasy” pulp;
• another place of growth (in coniferous forests, in ditches, next to stumps).

Characteristics

• All types of boletus are edible mushrooms.
• They are distinguished by caps of different shades with white flesh below, which does not change color when pressed, as well as narrow legs.
• The legs are covered with black scales.
• Such mushrooms grow near birch trees.
• The main collection season is late summer and autumn.

Nutritional value and calorie content

100 g of boletus contains:

Chemical composition

Boletus mushrooms contain:

• proteins (35%), including valuable amino acids;
• sugar (14%);
• fats (4%);
• fiber (25%);
• vitamins C, B1, PP, B2, D, E;
• magnesium, potassium, calcium, manganese and other elements.

Beneficial features

• Among the amino acids contained in this type of mushroom, there is a lot of arginine, glutamine, tyrosine and leucine.
• The high content of dietary fiber in boletus provides it with the ability to remove toxins and harmful substances from the body.
• This mushroom has antioxidant activity, as well as a positive effect on mucous membranes and skin.
• Since boletus contains a lot of phosphoric acid, it is a valuable product for the musculoskeletal system.

Harm

• Individual intolerance to this type of mushroom is possible.
• Boletus, like other mushrooms, is not consumed in childhood.
• It is contraindicated for intestinal diseases and peptic ulcers.
• Also, the danger of consuming boletus is associated with the risk of confusing it with gall fungus.

Application

In cooking

• This type of mushroom is edible and is used in the preparation of soups and main courses.
• It is also dried, frozen, pickled and salted.
• During processing, boletus mushrooms often darken.
• For food consumption, it is recommended to collect young hard mushrooms.
• Since these mushrooms do not have a distinct taste, they should be cooked with other types of mushrooms.
• Sauces and gravies are prepared from dried boletus.

How long to cook

Fresh mushrooms should be thoroughly washed to remove any debris and contaminants. The bases of the boletus stems are also cut off. Mushrooms are filled with cold water (its volume should be twice as large as the volume of mushrooms). You need to put salt in the water, taking a tablespoon for each kilogram of mushrooms. When the water boils, drain it and fill the boletus mushrooms with clean cold water. These mushrooms are cooked for an average of 40-50 minutes, periodically removing the foam. The finished mushrooms sink to the bottom. If you want to boil boletus mushrooms in a slow cooker, then set the “baking” mode for 30 minutes.

How to pickle

For pickling, medium-sized, strong mushrooms are used. For each kilogram they take:

• 40 g salt;
• 120 ml water;
• 5 peppercorns;
• 4 bay leaves;
• 2 cloves;
• several sprigs of dill.

Peeled, washed and boiled mushrooms for 15 minutes, drain in a colander and place in jars, sprinkling them with salt. Next, you need to prepare the brine - add dill, cloves, pepper and bay leaf to boiling water. After filling the mushrooms with brine, put them in a cool place. They can be eaten after a month.

How to marinate

For a kilogram of boletus you will need:

• 2 tbsp. l. salt;
• 2 tbsp. l. lemon juice or citric acid;
• 2 tbsp. l. vinegar 9%;
• 5 bay leaves;
• 1/2 tsp. allspice peas.

Peeled and washed mushrooms should be chopped. The next stage of preparation is to cook them for 50 minutes in a large volume of water, regularly removing the foam. After adding vinegar and seasonings to the water, the mushrooms should be boiled for another ten minutes. Next, the mushrooms are removed with a slotted spoon and placed in jars, after which the broth is poured on top. Cooled pickled boletus mushrooms are stored in a cool place.

How to dry

Fresh mushrooms without damage are selected for drying. They are cleaned, washed and dried a little, after which they are laid out on baking paper. If the mushrooms are small, you can put them whole, and cut the large boletus mushrooms. Mushrooms should be dried in the oven at a temperature of approximately +50 degrees. Leave the oven door open.

In medicine

• Traditional medicine prescribes the use of boletus mushrooms in the treatment of kidneys.
• These mushrooms also help with problems with the nervous system and blood sugar levels.

When losing weight

Boletus mushrooms should be included in your diet by anyone who wants to lose excess weight, since it is a low-calorie product.

The boletus mushroom is characterized by very fast growth - in a day it grows by 4 cm and adds about 10 g. After six days of growth, the mushroom begins to age.

The roots of each tree have their own yar or yarnu, that is, as was believed in the old days, the plant power of the soil, especially transferred to mushrooms, therefore only under a certain tree can a mushroom grow and develop, and under any other it will not grow. The great Russian master of mushroom hunting and quiet hunting, Dmitry Zuev, in his wonderful book “Gifts of the Russian Forest” (Publishing House “Forest Industry”, Moscow, 1966) emphasized: “A mushroom without a tree and a tree without a mushroom are not residents.”

So, what trees do mushrooms grow under?

Under the birch: white truffle, white mushroom (short-legged), dubovik (double of the white one), sinik-krasik (double of the boletus mushroom), real milk mushroom (mokhnach), obabok, aspen mushroom, black mushroom berezovik, caesarean mushroom (edible double of the fly agaric), food russula , cobweb, violet row, pushers to (float), red fly agaric, wave, thin pig, green russula, deer sponge, valui.Under the oak: white mushroom (long-legged), speckled oak (white double), blueberry (white double) ), satanic mushroom (an inedible double of the white and oak mushroom), oak mushroom, milkweed (under-nut), pepper milk mushroom, pink russula, gladish milkweed (alder), Caesar's mushroom (edible double of the fly agaric), white mushroom (white trumpet), pigweed, deer sponge, green russula, dry milk mushroom, blue milk mushroom, violin, valui, red fly agaric.

Under the aspen: red aspen, aspen milk mushroom, dog milk mushroom, russula, valui.

Under the spruce: porcini mushroom (the real and most valuable spruce boletus), white truffle, red saffron milk cap, aspen boletus, black birch mushroom, typical raw milk mushroom, black and yellow milk mushroom, red russula (spicy), valui, svinushka, chanterelle, red fly agaric .

Under the pine tree: boletus mushroom (strong boletus mushroom), white mushroom (double of boletus mushroom), orange saffron milk cap, curly drigel (head mushroom), real oiler, green boletus mushroom, yellow-brown boletus mushroom, Polish mushroom (chestnut boletus mushroom), dark red russula , yellow kolchak (blackberry), brittle russula, cobweb, violet row, pigwort, red fly agaric.

Under the larch (in Transbaikalia and Yakutia): camelina, true butterfly, yellow-brown moss mushroom, caesarean mushroom, red fly agaric.

Under the cedar: saffron milk cap, mottled chanterelle, spider web.

Under the poplar: gray birch, aspen milk mushroom, blue milk mushroom.

Under the hornbeam, white mushroom (purple-pink boletus), Vasilkov's hornbeam (a type of black birch).

Under the beech tree: porcini mushroom, truffle, black satanic mushroom.

Under the age-old linden tree: blueberry (boletus double), dubovik (white mushroom), satanic mushroom, pigweed.

Under the alder: white truffle, smooth milkweed (alder).

Under the hazel tree: white truffle, smooth milkweed, pepper mushroom, valui.

Under the chestnut: black truffle.

Under the juniper: white truffle.

Strong boletuses, close relatives, belong to the genus Obabok and are considered mushrooms of excellent quality. As the name indicates, they are in symbiosis with birches, often developing under these trees. However, this does not always happen - various species can be found on the outskirts of swamps, in dry pine forests or in beech groves.

Main types

The best appearance of this group is characterized by a smooth hemispherical cap with a diameter of up to 15 cm. The skin is chestnut with a grayish, black or reddish tint; in young mushrooms it is light. The leg is up to 20 cm high, slender, wide at the base, the surface is dotted with a scaly dark pattern.

The pulp is grayish-white, then gray, does not darken when scrapped, first hard, then soft, porous. The structure is spongy in rainy weather. The taste is pleasant, the aroma is mushroom.

A tall mushroom with a very light, almost white convex cap up to 15 cm in diameter. The skin is thin, sometimes greenish or brown. The leg is long, thin, often curved, cap-colored or brownish. The tubes are whitish-cream, then brownish, turning green when pressed.

The pulp is creamy, later with a yellowish-green tint, does not darken when broken, watery, fresh in taste, with a slight mushroom aroma, often odorless.

The fleshy, robust species rarely becomes wormy, and is especially loved by mushroom pickers for this quality. The cap is up to 15 cm in diameter, hemispherical, then convex, concave in older specimens. The skin is first velvety, then smooth, matte, in wet weather - slippery, light chestnut, with a red tint, often with a lilac tint. The leg is up to 15 cm high, cylindrical, thickened in the center, cream-colored, covered with a mesh scaly pattern.

The tubes are creamy and turn greenish-brown where touched. The flesh is tight, white-cream, greenish-yellow at the stem, with a pink tint when the cap is broken, and greenish or blackened when cut at the stem itself. The taste is neutral, the aroma is pleasant, mushroom.

Externally and in culinary use, the species is similar to the common boletus. The cap is variegated - brown with whitish-gray spots and streaks, sometimes the main color is brown, almost black, reaches a diameter of 15 cm. The leg is brown, cylindrical, smooth, green at the base.

The tubular layer is dirty white with a bluish tint and darkens when pressed. The pulp is creamy white, when broken, it acquires a pink tint, and at the stem it turns red or green. The structure is watery, the taste is fresh, the smell is light, mushroom.

The hemispherical cap eventually becomes cushion-shaped and reaches a diameter of 12 cm. The skin is yellowish-brown or brown, often spotted, with light streaks. The leg is low - up to 10 cm, sometimes curved, the surface is light, with a black-brown scaly pattern.

The tubes are creamy and turn pink when pressed. The pulp is firm, light cream, turns pink when cut, and later becomes dark. The smell is insignificant, the taste is simple.

An appetizing mushroom with a round cap up to 15 cm in diameter, which is first hemispherical, then cushion-shaped, and later flat. The color of the skin is in brownish-gray tones - from light gray to brown, olive, black, yellowish in the center at the edges. The surface is velvety, at first wrinkled, then matte, cracked in hot weather, and slippery in damp weather.

The leg is tall - up to 16 cm, thick at the top, the surface is light, darkens when pressed, and is dotted with black scales, which later become brownish. The tubes are white, creamy-gray, and brown or purple when pressed.

The pulp is whitish with a yellow tone. When broken, it acquires a deep pink or red color, later turning black.

Squat appearance with a dark brown cap of hemispherical, then convex shape, up to 10 cm in diameter. The leg is up to 12 cm high, smooth, brown or grayish, abundantly dotted with darker scales. The skin is velvety, then matte, and sticky when damp.

The tubes are large, cream or grayish-white. The pulp is firm, white, and does not darken or turn slightly blue when cut. Mushroom aroma, neutral taste.

How to distinguish boletus from boletus?

Despite their eloquent names, these mushrooms, belonging to the same genus, can settle under aspens, and under birches, and under the canopy of many other trees.

Young mushrooms, especially light-colored species, are difficult to distinguish, and to more accurately determine the species, it is better to look for adult specimens. They are distinguished by the color of the skin, the structure and color of the pulp when broken.

Generally boletus colors more modest, often in gray-brown or brown tones, brighter - their caps are reddish-brown and orange-yellow. However, this difference is not always characteristic - the common boletus and the red boletus are similar in their chestnut-red caps, and both of these species can grow side by side.

An experienced mushroom picker will distinguish boletus according to the structure of the pulp– it is more porous, loose, becomes watery with age and when broken does not darken or change color slightly – it often turns pink.

They are characterized by tight flesh, which quickly becomes colored when cut - turns blue, purple or brown. The fruiting bodies are hard and are not destroyed by heat treatment, and therefore these species are often preferable to boletus mushrooms.

Both mushrooms are edible, have excellent quality and can be safely eaten - they are suitable for drying, pickling and any culinary delights.

Places of distribution and time of collection

Various species are common in temperate climates, in deciduous forests and parks. They live in abundance under birch trees; it is with this tree that mycorrhiza forms the titular species - common boletus. Tight fruiting bodies are found on the edges, clearings and along forest roads. The noble mushroom does not like acidic peat soils, preferring neutral loams or calcareous soils. The collection time is long - from the end of spring until the chilly autumn and the first frosts.

In swampy lowland forests, including on peat bogs, most often under birch trees, myceliums develop marsh boletus. These fragile mushrooms appear in whole clearings, from July until the first frost.

In deciduous and deciduous-coniferous forests under aspen and white poplar you can find a rather rare mushroom boletus is a bit harsh. It prefers calcareous soils and appears singly or in small families from July to mid-October.

On the sun-warmed edges and clearings of gloomy mossy forests, under birches and poplars, colorful caps are found boletus variegated. The species settles in small groups or singly; collection time is from July to early autumn.

Found in birch groves and mixed forests boletus turning pink. More often it settles on the outskirts of swamps, on peat soils. This stable, but rather rare species forms mycorrhiza with birch and is distributed wherever this tree grows, right up to the tundra zone. The harvest takes a short period of time - from August to early October.

Mid-summer and early autumn - harvest time black boletus. Places of growth - damp lowlands of birch and mixed, most often birch-pine forests, the outskirts of swamps and clearings.

In the clearings, edges of beech and hornbeam forests, in poplar, birch and hazel groves, fruitful plants grow in abundance. gray boletus or hornbeam. Fruiting bodies are collected in three waves: the first - during the flowering of rowan - in early summer; the second - in July, after haymaking; the third, autumn - in September-October.

False species and doubles

Tubular mushrooms do not have such dangerous doubles as lamellar mushrooms. And yet, due to inexperience, the very poisonous pale grebe can be mistaken for a swamp boletus, and the real and pinkish species can be confused with a gall fungus.

In various deciduous forests - under birches, aspens, beeches, this most poisonous mushroom is found from July to October. The cap is first spherical, then flattened, glossy, light, sometimes with a greenish or olive tint, reaches a diameter of 10 cm. The leg is slender, without scales, with a cuff under the cap, the expanded base is hidden in a kind of pouch near the ground.

The whitish pulp is aromatic, fragile, and tastes sweet. Unlike tubular mushrooms, wide white plates are found under the cap. The species is very poisonous and even a small amount causes severe poisoning, and there is no antidote.

This species is not poisonous, but is not eaten due to its unpleasant, bitter, acrid taste. The cap is hemispherical, up to 15 cm in diameter. The skin is glossy, brownish or light chestnut. The leg is squat, thickened in the middle, with a dark mesh pattern at the top.

The pulp is very bitter, white, and turns pink when cut, reminiscent of pink boletus. In the latter, the tubular layer is creamy and turns pink only when pressed or at a break, while in the gall fungus the tubes are initially bright pink. Found in coniferous and coniferous-deciduous forests from mid-summer until frost.

Beneficial features

Nutritious boletus mushrooms in dried form are close in calorie content to bread and are significantly superior to many vegetables. But unlike carbohydrate or fatty, energy-rich foods, their calorie content is determined by the presence of proteins, which are a building block of the body and must be present in the diet.

The protein composition is characterized by the presence of essential amino acids - leucine, tyrosine, arginine and glutamine, which are in an easily accessible form and are quickly absorbed.

The pulp is rich in vitamins; thiamine, nicotinic and ascorbic acids, vitamins E and D are significantly present in it. A whole complex of essential microelements - calcium and phosphorus, sodium and potassium, manganese and iron complement this wonderful natural store of valuable substances.

These mushrooms are known to act as antioxidants, which reduce the number of free radicals and thus reduce the risk of cancer, slow down the aging process, and strengthen the immune system.

Contraindications

Healthy, tasty boletus mushrooms are among the best edible species, but dishes made from them should absolutely not be eaten by people suffering from gastritis, duodenal ulcers, hepatitis of any etiology, or inflammatory processes in the gallbladder.

Some people may experience individual intolerance, which is characterized by allergic reactions, and with insufficient activity of gastrointestinal enzymes, digestive problems arise, which are expressed by nausea, indigestion, and fermentation processes in the intestines.

Recipes for cooking dishes and preparations

Strong mushrooms are good in a variety of dishes - in roasts and sauces, kulebyaki and pies, pickles and marinades. The beneficial properties are perfectly preserved when dried, but only young, tight specimens are suitable for these purposes; old fruiting bodies become watery and dry poorly.

Boletus mushrooms in hot marinade

This delicious, flavorful appetizer is quick to prepare and keeps well.

First of all, prepare the marinade: for 3 liters of water take 600 g of 5% vinegar, 100 g of salt, 120 g of sugar, a little citric acid, spices to taste.

Pre-cleaned mushrooms are boiled in salted water (50 g of salt per 1 liter of water), not forgetting to periodically remove the foam. As soon as the mushrooms have sunk to the bottom, they are ready, they are strained, packaged in jars and boiling marinade is poured on top. The preservation is sterilized for 50 minutes and rolled up.

Boletus mushrooms in tomato sauce

For 3 kg of the finished dish, take 1800 g of peeled and chopped mushrooms, 1 tablespoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of 9% vinegar, 600 g of tomato paste, 600 g of water, 120 g of odorless vegetable oil, bay leaf, black peppercorns.

The fruiting bodies are cut into pieces, simmered in vegetable oil until softened, and tomato diluted with water is added. The workpiece is heated, salt, sugar, vinegar and spices are added. Mix everything thoroughly, bring to a boil and keep on low heat for 5 minutes. The mass is placed in jars, sterilized for 50 minutes and rolled up.

Boletus mushrooms with vegetables

For this healthy dish, take 1 kg of chopped fruit bodies, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, 300 g of tomato sauce, flour, vegetable oil, and spices.

Young zucchini and squash are cut into pieces, dipped in flour and fried in oil. The mushrooms are lightly blanched and fried. The tomatoes are divided into four parts and simmered until softened. All ingredients are mixed, poured with tomato sauce, salt, pepper and boiled until tender. The food is served hot or cold.

Video about boletus mushrooms (boletus mushrooms)

Everyone was successful with boletus mushrooms - beautiful, nutritious, tasty mushrooms, famous for their productivity and long-term fruiting. A knowledgeable mushroom picker will never be left empty-handed and, after a mushroom rain, he will easily find the stout caps under birch, hornbeam or poplar trees, notice the sturdy ones peeking out from under the leaves in swampy lowlands and on the edges of light birch groves, and will definitely fill the basket with these fragrant gifts of nature.

Boletus (Leccinum) is an edible mushroom that belongs to the genus Leccinum (boletus), the boletus family. The name of the mushroom comes from its growth near the roots of birch trees. All members of the family are edible, differing very slightly in terms of taste.

Boletus - description

The appearance of all mushrooms of this species, numbering more than 40 varieties, is similar to each other. The color of the cap can be white in young mushrooms and become dark brown with age. The boletus mushroom grows both singly and in small groups. The cap of the boletus has the shape of a hemisphere, turning into a cushion-shaped one as it ages. When the air humidity is high, it becomes sticky and covered with mucus. The pulp is white, dense, slightly darkening when cut. In adulthood it becomes loose and watery. The diameter of the cap of an adult mushroom can reach 18 cm.

The stem of the boletus is cylindrical in shape, gray or white, can have a length of up to 15 cm and a diameter of up to 3 cm. The surface of the stem is covered with longitudinally arranged dark gray scales. As it ages, its fleshy flesh degenerates into tough and fibrous flesh. The spore powder has an olive-brown tint.

Boletus mushrooms have a rapid growth rate - they can rise 4 cm per day, fully maturing by 6 days. After which a period of aging begins: soon the body of the fungus becomes a “dining room” for worms.

Types of boletus

The division of boletus into species is carried out according to the criteria of external appearance and places of growth. Types of boletus:

• common boletus
• black boletus
• tundra boletus
• marsh, white boletus
• pinkish, oxidizing boletus
• gray boletus, hornbeam
• tough boletus
• checkerboard, or blackening boletus
• ash-gray boletus
• colorful boletus

About 9 species are found on the territory of Russia, among which the most common are the common boletus and the hornbeam. People also have other nicknames: obabok, birch tree, grandma, etc.

The most common. Due to its excellent taste, it is deservedly considered very valuable from a culinary point of view. The cap of the common boletus has a uniform brown or reddish color (depending on the place of growth), the leg is dense, massive, thickened below, with grayish scales.

quite common on overly moist soils. The mushroom cap is light gray or light brown in color, the stem is thin, the flesh of the mushroom is loose, but has an excellent taste.

The color of the mushroom cap varies from grayish and brown to purple. In young species it is often covered with scales; in older species it becomes smooth. The stem is cylindrical, creamy at the bottom and almost white at the cap. The flesh of the mushroom is slightly sweet, darkens when pressed and has a rich mushroom smell.

has a greyish, orange, pinkish or light brown cap, often with tan marks of a yellowish tint. In dry weather, the surface of the mushroom is dry; when it rains, the cap is usually slimy. The stem of the mushroom is white, sometimes covered with gray scales.

grows in the forest belt of northern latitudes, most often found in autumn. The cap is usually brick red or brown in color, although the color may not be uniform. The leg is short, usually crooked due to a sharp bend towards the light.

the smallest of its brothers, because it grows under dwarf birch trees in the tundra, where lighting and a long warm period can often only be a dream. The mushroom cap is small, very light in color, almost whitish or light beige.

has a dark, sometimes almost black cap and a thick, short leg covered with dark gray scales. Black boletus is a rather rare guest in mushroom pickers' baskets, but it is highly valued for its taste.

may have a cap of different colors: ash, brown-gray, ocher, light, whitish. In Russia it grows mainly in the Caucasus, found in deciduous forests, mainly hornbeams.

If we are asked to name several of the most famous types of mushrooms - quickly, without thinking - probably, along with the white mushroom, fly agaric, chanterelle and honey mushroom, we will remember the boletus and aspen mushrooms, familiar to us from children's fairy tales. But what do we know about these mushrooms, except that they grow under the trees of the same name, and that it was them that the girl Masha collected before getting lost in the forest?

Boletus mushroom: description

Representatives of the mushroom kingdom that have a porous hymenophore, such as boletus, white, and Polish, form a family of species under the general name Boletaceae, which, according to some sources, numbers about 1,300 species. Within this family, based on the classification of certain characteristics, scientists distinguish the genus Obabok (Latin name Leccinum, Leccinum), which has about 25 representatives under the common names boletus and boletus.

Did you know? For a long time, scientists could not come to a consensus on the question of whether mushrooms belong to the animal or plant world. In terms of the content and composition of proteins, these amazing organisms are more similar to animals, and in terms of carbohydrates and minerals they are more reminiscent of plants. All disputes were settled only in 1960. The compromise was the recognition of the kingdom of fungi, separate from animals and plants.

All representatives of the genus Leccinum live in close proximity to coniferous and deciduous trees. Most species live in forests of the temperate climate zone, but some of them can be found even in subtropical and subpolar regions. The main differences of the species are a large, smooth, slightly velvety to the touch hemispherical cap of muted brown shades, always matte, lighter in young monkeys. The massive tubular hymenophore of a white-grayish color easily separates from the cap and darkens as the mushroom ages. Scaly or fibrous stalk, dense, cylindrical, sometimes long. The pulp is white, dense, colored when cut, then turns black when heated. Almost all representatives of this species (with the exception of the gall mushroom) are tasty edible mushrooms of the 2nd category.

Variety of boletus species

The Russian name “boletus” refers only to some varieties of boletaceae, namely, varieties of common boletus (Leccinum scabrum), which form mycorrhiza directly with birch. It would be more correct to call other species "obobok".

Harsh

The boletus boletus is harsh (in some sources it is hard) - it is not a very common species. Perhaps this is one of the most valuable representatives of its species. It has a warm gray-brown cap that gets darker with age. The leg of this fish is thick, massive, cylindrical, at an early age covered with numerous small scales, which disappear with age. The mushroom has excellent taste, a thick mushroom aroma and can be used in the preparation of first and second courses. For long-term storage, drying or dry freezing is used.

Grey

Gray boletus (hornbeam) is the most common of the hornbeams. It has a large (in adulthood) cap up to 15 cm in diameter, slightly wrinkled, dry to the touch, with predominant shades from dark olive to brownish-brown.

Important! The second name of the species has a somewhat ominous sound, but it is written with an “a” rather than an “o”, and has nothing to do with the coffin, grave and death. Hornbeam, as is known, is a tree of the birch family, with which this species often forms mycorrhiza (a stable connection between the mycelium of the fungus and the root system of higher plants).

In dry weather, the skin of a mature mushroom cap often becomes covered with cracks. The dense pulp has excellent taste; when cut it is white, upon contact with air it acquires a violet-gray color, then over time it turns from dark blue to black. A cut mushroom quickly becomes unusable, so young and fresh specimens should be sent to the basket.

Ordinary

The main feature of the common boletus is its long stem, which can reach 20 cm in height. The mushroom, having settled in a forest clearing or edge, seems to be trying to stretch out over the grass and expose its large hemispherical cap of bright brown color with a tint from gray to brown to the sun. The pulp when cut is white, dense, sweetish in taste, and darkens when processed. Young, unripe mushrooms are recommended for use as food.

When to collect

All of the above types of boletus can form fruiting bodies from late May to mid-November, until the first frost. Periods of stable fruiting: August - October. However, experienced mushroom pickers always predict the time of appearance of the first representatives of boletaceae, depending on many conditions: whether last year was a “mushroom year” (as they say, one year does not coincide), how dry the last summer was, and how frosty the last winter was. Again, it is known that periods of high mushroom yield in a certain pattern alternate with periods of complete absence of mushrooms.

Did you know? The people still maintain the belief that a too mushroom year foreshadows war. Perhaps this is just a coincidence, but in the fall of 2014, Ukrainian mushroom pickers returned from a “quiet hunt” with truly unprecedented harvests...

Many experienced mushroom pickers, among other things, know their own mushroom places, known only to them, and having visited them, they can say with confidence whether it is worth going on a quiet hunt, or, as they say, “not fate.” During the collection process, you should remember that boletus is a very “vulnerable” mushroom. As a result, it deteriorates very quickly. Therefore, it is advisable to collect only fresh young specimens. An overripe mushroom with a large cap and a raw, heavily darkened hymenophore (the lower tubular part of the cap) is unlikely to survive to the cooking stage and will most likely be thrown away.
The boletus mushrooms found should be placed separately from other types of mushrooms in a hard, “breathable” container that does not allow the crop to be crushed during the harvesting process. Wicker baskets made of natural or artificial materials (willow or plastic rods) are ideal for this; wide buckets can be used, but plastic (garbage) bags are completely unsuitable for this purpose. It is also important not to forget that a mushroom is only the fruiting body of a huge organism, the mycelium, which can be easily damaged as a result of improper collection. To prevent this from happening, the find should be cut off with a sharp knife as close to the ground as possible, or carefully “unscrewed” like a screw in one and a half to two turns. Recently, most mycologists consider the second method to be more humane.

Places of growth

All boletuses grow in mixed deciduous forests in the temperate climate of the entire northern hemisphere of the continent; they prefer places with well-moistened soil warmed by the sun. Depending on the species, they form mycorrhiza with birch, aspen, hornbeam, white poplar, etc.

Did you know? The largest boletus in the world was found in the Tomsk region of the Russian Federation by a mushroom picker with the appropriate surname Korol. The weight of the find was 2.4 kg, the diameter of the cap was 360 mm, and the length of the stem was 280 mm. It is interesting that with such an impressive size, the obabok was in excellent condition, was not damaged by worms and could easily be a complete dinner for a small family.

False boletus

Another representative of boletaceae is the gall mushroom (false boletus). Some sources define it as poisonous, but it would be more correct to call it inedible due to its unbearably bitter taste. So bitter that even worms don't eat it! Indeed, to get seriously poisoned by this mushroom, you need to consume too much of it, which is very problematic due to its taste. At the same time, there is no way to get rid of bitterness. Any processing of these mushrooms (boiling, frying, etc.) only enhances this taste.

Important! If even one fragment of false boletus accidentally ends up in the main dish along with other “good” mushrooms, you will inevitably get the result in the form of a fly in the ointment.

Perhaps this is all there is to fear in the case of the gall fungus - false boletus. In terms of the shape of the stem and cap, the gall mushroom is practically indistinguishable from the ordinary boletus mushroom. External distinctive features are the color of the cap, which contains greenish-yellow poisonous tones. Thanks to this, the mushroom always immediately catches the eye, like the handsome fly agarics. The lower part of the cap has a pink or dirty pink tint (unlike the “real” mushroom, which is white). The flesh of the gall mushroom is pink when cut and turns red over time. The bad news is that it is easy for an inexperienced mushroom picker, during a quiet hunt, to confuse the false boletus mushroom with an ordinary high-quality mushroom. The good news: the main drawback of this mushroom - bitterness - is, in fact, the main distinguishing feature by which it is separated from “real” boletus mushrooms. Don’t be afraid to lightly lick the mushroom on the cut of the stem - believe me, everything will become clear to you right away. All true boletuses when cut have a pleasant sweetish mushroom taste, without a hint of bitterness.

Compound

The pulp of the obabka contains:

• proteins - 35%;
• fats - 4%;
• sugars (in the form of mono- and disaccharides) - 14%;
• carbohydrates - up to 25%;
• vitamins: C, B1, B2, E, D, PP;
• micro- and macroelements: sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus and manganese;
• water.

Did you know? The natural mineral selenium helps restore the human immune system, which, as studies show, significantly reduces the risk of developing cancer and other systemic diseases. And one of the richest sources of selenium is mushrooms.

Beneficial features

Nutritional value against the background of low calorie content is the main advantage of mushrooms, which allows them to be used in various diets intended for overweight people, as well as patients with diabetes. The proteins present in boletus pulp contain all the essential amino acids for humans and, in addition, a number of amino acids that contribute to the rapid restoration of the body depleted due to infection. From this point of view, these types of products are a good meat substitute for those who are vegetarians.

Cooking rules

Boletus mushrooms have excellent taste and are great for preparing any dishes and using them in a wide variety of variations. They can be salted, pickled, fried and boiled, and for long-term storage, drying or dry freezing is suitable.

Important! Experienced housewives know that dry and frozen mushrooms have a much richer aroma than fresh ones.

Before cooking boletus, you need to clean it. If you are going to dry or freeze mushrooms, you should not wet them; in all other cases, the harvest should not only be washed well, but ideally soaked in slightly warm (preferably running) water for several hours. This preliminary procedure is necessary for two reasons: firstly, the mushrooms will be better cleaned after this, and secondly, some harmful substances that are present in the product (we do not mean mushroom poisons, but rather nitrates and other industrial wastes), will remain in the water. Cleaning boletus mushrooms is very easy, the main thing is to do it as quickly as possible before the mushrooms spoil. Unlike butter, where you need to remove the adhesive film on the cap, after which you have to wash your hands for a long time and painfully, or, say, some types of rows, “with their heads” hiding in the sand, which gets stuck in the plates and does not want to come out, our elite beauties They are almost never truly dirty, and cleaning them does not require much effort.

If a dried leaf or blade of grass still sticks to the cap, it is enough to lightly scrape it with a knife, and the accumulated dust (it may be present if the harvest was harvested on the edge of the city, however, it is better to leave such mushrooms where they grew) simply rinse or wipe with a damp cloth. We inspect each specimen for damage by worms, rot or other defects, sort by age and size and decide what to do next.
It is best to separate the stem from the cap and lightly scrape it with a knife to finally clean it. But if you are sorry to destroy the beauty of the little elastic handsome man, you can leave him whole. There is no need to throw away wormy specimens. Soak them for a couple of hours in cold water, adding table salt at the rate of 2 tablespoons per liter, then simply cut and remove the damaged areas.

Important! Regardless of what dish you are going to cook, boletus mushrooms must be boiled first. The heat treatment time is at least 40 minutes, and the water in which the mushrooms are cooked must be changed at least once (drained and refilled with clean water, having previously washed the mushrooms).

Of course, we are talking about elite mushrooms, which theoretically can be fried immediately, without pre-cooking. The dish will certainly be tastier and more aromatic. And yet, we recommend not to neglect the mentioned precaution, since the state of the environment in the world does not allow us to talk about the absolute safety of forest mushrooms, even if they are obviously edible.

If you decide to cook boletus soup, use a third water for this (drain the broth twice and add clean water). For frying, boiled mushrooms are chopped to taste, after which they are fried in a mixture of vegetable and butter, without covering with a lid (otherwise they will turn into porridge). Before turning off, you can add sour cream if desired.
For pickling, boiled cabbage is placed in a prepared container (wooden barrels are best, but glass or ceramics are also suitable) in layers, generously sprinkled with salt, fresh herbs and spices to taste. Then they are placed under oppression in a cool, dark place for a month. It is worth noting, however, that salting and fermentation are not very suitable for obabok from an organoleptic point of view (this is rather a recipe for lamellar, for example, milk mushrooms).

Did you know? Worms are the eternal enemies of edible mushrooms. But it turns out that the opposite situation also exists in nature: there are mushrooms that eat worms! They form mycelium in rings, as if weaving a kind of network. This amazing predator, like in a Hollywood horror film, slowly devours and digests a worm caught in a trap within 24 hours!

Marinating is one of the most advantageous (and, by the way, safe) ways of preparing obabki. Marinated mushrooms are prepared like this. For a liter of water you should take two tablespoons of salt, four tablespoons of sugar and two tablespoons of 9 percent vinegar. A brine of water, sugar, salt and spices (peas, allspice, seeds, etc.) is boiled for 10 minutes. Mushrooms removed from boiling water are placed in sterile jars, at the same time add a few cloves of garlic, cut in half and, if desired, a couple of cloves of chili pepper, then hot brine is poured into the mushrooms, vinegar is added at the end, after which the jar is rolled up and turned over upside down, cover with a towel and leave until completely cool. For three liters of boiled mushrooms you will need approximately 1.3 liters of brine.

Contraindications and harm

Of the contraindications to the use of this type of mushroom, perhaps only individual intolerance to the elements that make up the pulp should be noted. Boletus mushrooms (as well as any other mushrooms) should be used with caution by people with severe liver and kidney pathologies. However, knowing that you have such diseases, it will never be a bad idea to consult a doctor.

Important! Forest mushrooms are strictly contraindicated for children under six years of age! And the point here is not only the danger of poisoning: this food is quite heavy for the child’s body due to the high content of dietary fiber, which makes it difficult to absorb other useful micro- and macroelements into the blood.

Storage rules

You always want to preserve your mushroom harvest for a long time. This is quite possible to do, but only under one condition: the freshly harvested crop must be processed literally immediately after you return from a “quiet” hunt. Wild mushrooms cannot be stored even in the refrigerator, otherwise you have every chance of getting serious intestinal poisoning. As a last resort, fill the extracted with water, in this form the harvest will survive until the next morning, especially since, as mentioned above, it is recommended to do this if you are not going to dry or freeze the mushrooms.
For short-term storage, peeled, cut and boiled boletus mushrooms for 15-20 minutes should be rinsed well in running water, filled with clean water and refrigerated. It is not advisable to use metal containers (even stainless steel) to store semi-finished products. For 1-2 days, this semi-finished product can be marinated or slices can be used to prepare main courses. In all other cases, full preparation is carried out. This can be pickling, salting, fermentation, processing into mushroom caviar or mushroom powder, as well as freezing.

Important! For all their excellent taste, boletus mushrooms, as a rule, do not have a very pronounced mushroom aroma (many recipes for mushroom dishes even recommend cooking boletus mushrooms mixed with other mushrooms). For this reason, there is no point in making mushroom powder from boletus mushrooms.

Pickled obabok, rolled up in a sterilized jar, can be stored even at room temperature for up to one and a half years. It is advisable to use self-screwing lids with an internal coating. Freezing allows you to preserve mushrooms for up to a year if the temperature in the freezer is at least 15-18 degrees below zero. You can freeze both washed and peeled fresh whole mushrooms and chopped ones, previously boiled for 10-15 minutes. After defrosting, the product can be used to prepare fried, stewed mushroom dishes, and soups. Of course, repeated freezing is completely unacceptable. Drying is another way to preserve the crop for a long time. A properly dried mushroom can retain all its beneficial properties, nutritional and taste qualities for one to two years when stored in a well-ventilated area with constant humidity and away from strong foreign odors. A small pantry is ideal for this, in which dried mushrooms are placed or hung, having previously been placed in paper bags or fabric bags. Dried mushrooms, as a rule, after soaking, are used to make soups.

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