Among the many mushrooms, the most popular are chanterelles. These are edible mushrooms whose color ranges from pale yellow to orange. They have a rather unusual shape - the center of the cap is concave inward, the edges are curled and uneven.

The chanterelle's leg is small, strong, and the same color as the cap. It should also be noted that the lower part of the mushroom grows tightly together with the upper. The mushroom itself is small - the diameter of the cap is from 2 to 10 cm.

Types of chanterelles

Representatives of the Chanterelle family have about 60 species, most some of them can be eaten. Here are the most common types of chanterelles:

Mushroom suitable for human consumption. The diameter of the cap varies from 2 to 10 cm, the stem – up to 7 cm. The color is pale yellow or yellow. The lower surface of the cap is covered with folds. The skin is smooth and does not separate from the chanterelle pulp. This mushroom grows in coniferous and deciduous forests from summer to mid-autumn.

Edible mushroom. Small in size - the cap is up to 4 cm in diameter, the stem is 2–5 cm. The color of the mushroom ranges from pale red to red. The shape of the hat resembles a funnel. The favorite habitat of the cinnabar-red chanterelle is a deciduous forest, and especially an oak grove. These mushrooms are collected from mid-June to early October.

Velvety Chanterelle

An edible mushroom that can hardly be found at the edge of the forest. The color is the same as the common chanterelle. The mushroom is aromatic and sour in taste. The velvety chanterelle usually grows in deciduous forests from mid-summer to early autumn.

Edible mushroom. The cap is up to 6 cm in diameter, the leg is up to 8 cm in height. The color of the cap is dark gray. The flesh of the gray chanterelle is elastic, pale gray in color. The gray chanterelle does not emit a distinct smell or taste. Typically, this species of chanterelle is found in mixed and deciduous forests from summer to mid-autumn.

Faceted chanterelle

Edible mushroom of small size (2–12 cm). The color of the cap is rich yellow or orange. The mushroom has a rather dense pulp with a distinctive smell. Mushroom pickers collect faceted chanterelles in oak groves from July to mid-October.

Characteristics of the common chanterelle

The common chanterelle is also called the real chanterelle or cockerel. It is the most common species in its genus. The mushroom is quite small: the diameter of the cap rarely exceeds 10 cm, the height of the stem is between 4–6 cm, and its thickness is 1–3 cm.

The chanterelle's cap smoothly transitions into the mushroom stem due to its funnel-shaped shape. The skin of the chanterelle is smooth to the touch and matte. It is difficult to separate from the dense pulp. The lower surface of the cap is covered with folds that run down the stem. The common chanterelle exudes a pleasant fruity aroma.

Also, real chanterelle is distinguished by the fact that the pulp does not contain worms and insect larvae. After ripening, the mushroom does not rot, but simply dries out. This is due to the peculiarities of the chemical composition of chanterelles.

Due to its color, the fox often becomes prey " quiet hunt", as it is easy to spot and grows in large groups. Most often, chanterelle grows in areas with high humidity, in mixed and coniferous forests, especially in well-lit areas in fallen leaves, moss or dried grass.

Chanterelles begin to be collected in mid-July and end in October. Chanterelles grow in large numbers after heavy rains. It is better to collect pale chanterelles yellow color Since overripe mushrooms have a bright orange color, they should be avoided.

False chanterelles

The common chanterelle has many counterparts, among which there are conditionally edible and poisonous mushrooms. Most often, real chanterelle is confused with velvety chanterelle or faceted chanterelle, since at first glance they appearance very similar to the common chanterelle. But the color of the velvety chanterelle is more saturated and tends towards orange, and the faceted chanterelle has a surface under the cap that is smoother than that of an ordinary chanterelle, and the flesh is not elastic, but brittle.

Orange talker or false fox

It has a great resemblance to the common fox due to its color. But these mushrooms belong to different families. Recently, orange talker has been considered a conditionally edible mushroom, which requires thorough processing before consumption. But the false chanterelle does not have any pronounced taste.

Yellow hedgehog

Also a double of the common chanterelle is yellow hedgehog. Distinctive feature twin mushroom - small spines on the surface of the cap. Yellow hedgehog is an edible mushroom; young mushrooms of this species can be immediately used for cooking, while more mature ones require additional processing to improve the taste.

Omphalote olive

The most dangerous double of the fox can be called Omphalote olive because it is poisonous. But in our area it is almost never found.

So, in order for real chanterelles to end up in the basket, you need to pay attention to:

1. Mushroom color. The common chanterelle's cap color is pale yellow and monochromatic, while the false chanterelle's cap color ranges from orange-yellow to red-brown.
2. hat. A real chanterelle's cap has uneven, curved edges. Smooth edges are observed in twin mushrooms.
3. Leg. The common chanterelle has legs that are not hollow and very dense, while the false chanterelle has a hollow leg.
4. Smell. Common chanterelles have a pleasant fruity aroma; false chanterelles do not have a distinct odor.
5. Presence of worms or insect larvae. The common fox differs from its false counterparts in the absence of any larvae and wormholes.

Composition and beneficial properties of chanterelles

The common chanterelle can be called a record holder among mushrooms for the content of vitamins and microelements in its pulp. Among the vitamins, vitamin A, B1, PP should be noted. The following components make the chanterelle unique:

It should be said that beneficial features Chanterelles can only be obtained by properly processing the mushrooms. Otherwise, all medicinal substances will be destroyed.

Treatment with chanterelles

Based on their chemical composition, chanterelles are very useful assistants in the fight against:

• Infectious diseases. IN folk medicine Chanterelles have long been used to treat sore throat, bronchitis, and furunculosis.
• Tuberculosis. Thanks to the powerful active substances contained in chanterelles, treatment is more effective and recovery occurs faster.
• Diseases of the liver and pancreas.
• Overweight.
• Worm infestations.

How to prepare and preserve chanterelles for medicinal purposes

But before you use chanterelles for treatment, you need to properly collect them and subject them to the necessary processing.

Remove dirt and debris from the collected mushrooms with a dry brush. The more carefully you do this, the longer their shelf life will be. There is no need to wet fresh chanterelles. After this, you can store the chanterelles in the refrigerator for no more than 10 days.

The flesh of dried chanterelles can become rubbery, so they are usually ground into a powder that has a shelf life of about a year. In this case, the temperature when drying mushrooms should not exceed 40°C.

Accordingly, for medicinal purposes, chanterelles are eaten fresh or in powder form. The powder is added to prepared dishes. Boiled and fried mushrooms will have much less nutrients.

Contraindications

Among the contraindications to the use of chanterelles are:

• Individual intolerance to chanterelles or mushrooms in general.
• Age up to three years.
• Pregnancy.
• Breastfeeding period.

People suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract should treat chanterelles with caution, since mushrooms are difficult to digest foods. It is also important to pay attention that the chanterelles were collected in an environmentally friendly area and were not overripe.

Chanterelle recipes

Chanterelles are widely used in the preparation of various dishes, and therefore are a welcome find for any mushroom picker. Both fresh and dried mushrooms are used in cooking. Here are some recipes for cooking chanterelles.

Country-style chanterelles

Will need:

• 500 g fresh chanterelles,
• 3 tbsp. spoons of chopped onion,
• 100 g vegetable oil,
• ground black pepper, salt.

Preparation:

1. Boil the prepared mushrooms in salted water and chop.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan.
3. Place the mushrooms in a frying pan along with the onions, add salt and pepper.
4. Simmer over low heat for about an hour.
5. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Salad with chicken and mushrooms

Will need:

• 150 g boiled chicken,
• 250 g boiled chanterelles,
• 30 g cheese,
• 2 boiled eggs,
• 1 pickled cucumber,
• 1 onion,
• 1 tbsp. spoon of vegetable oil,
• 4 tbsp. spoons of mayonnaise,
• greens, salt.

Preparation:

1. Chop the onion and fry in oil.
2. Grate the cheese on a coarse grater.
3. Chop the eggs.
4. Cut the mushrooms, chicken and cucumber into strips.
5. Combine the prepared ingredients, add salt, add mayonnaise and mix.

Mushroom sauce

Will need:

• 150 g dried chanterelles,
• 100 g flour,
• 100 g butter,
• 200 g sour cream,
• salt, ground black pepper.

Preparation:

1. Soak the mushrooms, boil and chop.
2. Strain the broth.
3. Saute the flour in oil, then gradually pour in the broth, salt, pepper, sour cream, mushrooms and boil.

Thus, the fox is very useful mushroom with a unique composition. It is used not only as an ingredient for various dishes, but also as a medicine. It is important to distinguish the common chanterelle from its dangerous counterparts. You should also pay attention to contraindications for eating chanterelles. If you follow all the rules for collecting and preparing, chanterelle dishes will delight you with excellent taste.

Common chanterelle (lat. Cantharēllus cibārius) - edible, lamellar mushroom, family Chanterelles, order Aphyllophoraceae. Forms mycorrhiza with spruce, pine, beech or oak. The growing season starts from June to October.

Synonyms:

Real fox, yellow fox, cockerel.

Hat:

Cap diameter 10-100 mm. The shape of the cap at a young age is convex, with age the mushroom becomes funnel-shaped, irregular in shape with a wavy folded edge. The surface is smooth, matte. The cap of the common chanterelle is egg- or orange-yellow in color. Sometimes it fades in the sun to a light yellow, almost white color. The spore-bearing layer (hymenophore) on the underside of the cap consists of thick plates 3 mm high, have branches and bridges, descend to the stem, the color is the same as the color of the cap.

Leg:

Diameter 8-30 mm, height 30-70 mm, fused with the cap, the same color as the cap. The leg of the chanterelle is dense, smooth, dry, solid, tapering towards the base.

Pulp:

Fleshy, elastic, dense, the same color as the cap or lighter. The smell is light with a fruity, spicy aroma and a slightly pungent spicy taste.

Spore powder, spores:

Spore powder is light yellow. Spores are 8-11 x 5-6 microns, ellipsoidal, smooth, colorless, with one or several fatty droplets.

Spreading:

Grows in soil from May to November. A very common mushroom. Found in groups in mixed forests, in moss, among fallen leaves. Loves acidic soils. Forms mycorrhiza with spruce, pine, beech or oak. Practically not affected by insects.

Edibility:

The common chanterelle belongs to the third category of edible mushrooms. The mushroom is quite heavy for the body, the fruiting bodies have a hard consistency and are difficult to digest; it is advisable to eat it in small portions. Chanterelles are used to prepare various dishes; young fruiting bodies are pickled and served as a side dish for meat dishes. They can also be dried, boiled, fried, or frozen. In terms of carotene content it can compete with carrots.

Similar species:

The common chanterelle can be confused with the conditionally edible Orange Talker ( lat. Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) is a little-known edible mushroom of low quality. The talker can cause food poisoning.

Inattentive mushroom pickers may confuse Chanterelle with Yellow Hedgehog ( lat. Hydnum repandum). In Hedgehog, the spore-bearing layer consists of many small, easily separated spines. Even if you manage to confuse these two mushrooms, nothing bad will happen, these mushrooms are edible.

Chanterelles ( Cantharellus) - mushrooms that belong to the department Basidiomycetes, class Agaricomycetes, order Cantarellaceae, family Chanterelleaceae, genus Chanterelles. These mushrooms are difficult to confuse with others, as they have an extremely memorable appearance.

Chanterelles (mushrooms): description and photo

The body of chanterelles is shaped like the body of cap-legged mushrooms, but the cap and stem of chanterelles are one whole, without visible boundaries, even the color is approximately the same: from pale yellow to orange. The cap of the chanterelle mushroom is from 5 to 12 centimeters in diameter, irregular in shape, flat, with curled, outstretched wavy edges, concave or pressed inward, in some mature individuals it is funnel-shaped. People call this type of hat “in the shape of an inverted umbrella.” The chanterelle's cap is smooth to the touch, with a skin that is difficult to peel off.

The flesh of chanterelles is fleshy and dense, fibrous in the stalk area, white or yellowish in color, has a sour taste and a faint smell of dried fruit. When pressed, the surface of the mushroom becomes reddish.

The leg of the chanterelle is most often the same color as the surface of the cap, sometimes slightly lighter, has a dense, smooth structure, uniform in shape, slightly tapered towards the bottom, 1-3 centimeters thick, 4-7 centimeters long.

The surface of the hymenophore is folded, pseudoplastic. It is represented by wavy folds flowing down the stem. In some species of chanterelles it may be veiny. The spore powder is yellow in color, the spores themselves are ellipsoidal, measuring 8*5 microns.

Where, when and in what forests do chanterelles grow?

Chanterelles grow from early June to mid-October, mainly in coniferous or mixed forests, near spruce, pine or oak trees. They are found more often in damp areas, in temperate forests among grass, in moss or in a pile of fallen leaves. Chanterelles often grow in large groups and appear en masse after thunderstorms.

Types of chanterelles, names, descriptions and photographs

There are more than 60 species of chanterelles, many of them edible. There are no poisonous chanterelles, although there are inedible species in the genus, for example, the false chanterelle. This mushroom also has poisonous counterparts - for example, mushrooms of the genus omphalotes. Below are some varieties of chanterelles:

• Common fox (true fox, cockerel) ( Canthar ellus ciba rius)

The common chanterelle grows in deciduous and coniferous forests in June and then from August to October.

• Gray fox ( Cantharellus cinereus)

Edible mushroom of gray or brown-black color. The cap has a diameter of 1-6 cm, stem height 3-8 cm, stem thickness 4-15 mm. The leg is hollow inside. The cap has wavy edges and a depression in the center, the edges of the cap have an ash-gray tint. The pulp is elastic, gray or brownish in color. Hymenophore folded. The taste of the mushroom is inexpressive, without aroma.

The gray fox grows in mixed and deciduous forests from late July to October. This mushroom can be found in the European part of Russia, Ukraine, America and Western European countries. The gray fox is known to few people, so mushroom pickers avoid it.

• Cinnabar red chanterelle ( Cantharellus cinnabarinus)

An edible mushroom with a reddish or pinkish-red color. The diameter of the cap is 1-4 cm, the height of the stem is 2-4 cm, the flesh is fleshy with fibers. The edges of the cap are uneven, curved, the cap itself is concave towards the center. Hymenophore folded. Thick pseudoplates have pink color. Spore powder is pink-cream.

The vermilion chanterelle grows in deciduous forests, primarily oak groves, in eastern North America. The mushroom picking season is summer and autumn.

• Velvety chanterelle ( Cantharellus friesii)

Edible, but rare mushroom, having a cap of orange-yellow or reddish color. The color of the legs is from light yellow to light orange. The diameter of the cap is 4-5 cm, the height of the stem is 2-4 cm, the diameter of the stem is 1 cm. The cap of a young mushroom has a convex shape, which turns into a funnel-shaped shape with age. The flesh of the cap is light orange when cut, and whitish-yellowish in the stem. The smell of the mushroom is pleasant, the taste is sour.

The velvety chanterelle grows in the countries of southern and eastern Europe, in deciduous forests on acidic soils. The collection season is from July to October.

• Faceted chanterelle ( Cantharellus lateritius)

Edible mushroom of orange-yellow color. The fruiting body measures from 2 to 10 cm. The cap and stem are combined. The shape of the cap is carved with a wavy edge. The mushroom pulp is thick and dense, has a pleasant taste and aroma. The diameter of the stalk is 1-2.5 cm. The hymenophore is smooth or with small folds. The spore powder is yellow-orange in color, just like the mushroom itself.

The faceted chanterelle grows in oak groves in North America, Africa, the Himalayas, and Malaysia, singly or in groups. Chanterelle mushrooms can be collected in summer and autumn.

• Chanterelle yellowing (Cantharellus lutescens)

Edible mushroom. The diameter of the cap is from 1 to 6 cm, the length of the stem is 2-5 cm, the thickness of the stem is up to 1.5 cm. The cap and stem are a single whole, as in other types of chanterelles. Top part the caps are yellow-brown in color, with brown scales. The leg is yellow-orange. The flesh of the mushroom is beige or light orange and has no taste or smell. The spore-bearing surface is most often smooth, less often with folds, and has a beige or yellow-brown tint. Spore powder is beige-orange.

Yellowing chanterelle grows in coniferous forests, on moist soils, and bears fruit until the end of summer.

• Trumpet chanterelle (funnel chanterelle, trumpet cantarella, tubular chanterelle) ( Cantharellus tubaeformis)

An edible mushroom with a cap diameter of 2-6 cm, a stem height of 3-8 cm, and a stem diameter of 0.3-0.8 cm. The chanterelle's cap has the shape of a funnel with uneven edges. The color of the cap is grayish-yellow. It has dark velvety scales. The tube feet are yellow or dull yellow in color. The pulp is dense and white, with a faint bitter taste and a pleasant earthy smell. The hymenophore is yellowish or bluish-gray in color and consists of sparse, brittle veins. Beige spore powder.

Trumpet chanterelles grow primarily in coniferous forests, but are sometimes found in deciduous forests in Europe and North America.

• Chanterelle Cantharellus minor

An edible mushroom, similar to the common chanterelle, but smaller in size. The diameter of the cap is 0.5-3 cm, the length of the stem is 1.5-6 cm, the thickness of the stem is 0.3-1 cm. The cap of a young mushroom is flat or convex; in a mature mushroom it becomes vase-like. The color of the cap is yellow or orange-yellow. The edge of the cap is wavy. The pulp is yellow, brittle, soft, with a barely noticeable aroma. The hymenophore is the color of the cap. The color of the stem is lighter than that of the cap. The leg is hollow, tapering towards the base. The spore powder is white or yellowish in color.

These mushrooms grow in deciduous forests (most often oak) in eastern North America.

• Chanterelle Cantharellus subalbidus

An edible mushroom that is whitish or beige in color. Turns orange when touched. A wet mushroom takes on a light brown tint. The diameter of the cap is 5-14 cm, the height of the stem is 2-4 cm, the thickness of the stem is 1-3 cm. The cap of a young mushroom is flat with a wavy edge, and as the mushroom grows it becomes funnel-shaped. There are velvet scales on the skin of the cap. The pulp of the mushroom has no aroma or taste. The hymenophore has narrow folds. The leg is fleshy, white, uneven or smooth. Spore powder is white.

Cantharellus subalbidus grows in the northwestern part of North America, found in coniferous forests.

False chanterelles: description and photo. How are they different from edible ones?

There are 2 types of mushrooms with which the common chanterelle can be confused:

1. Orange talker (inedible mushroom)
2. Omphalote olive (poisonous mushroom)

The main differences between the edible chanterelle and the false one:

1. The color of the common edible chanterelle is uniform: light yellow or light orange. False chanterelles usually have brighter or lighter colors: copper-red, bright orange, yellowish-white, ocher-beige, red-brown. The center of the false chanterelle's cap may differ in color from the edges of the cap. Spots of various shapes may be observed on the cap of the false chanterelle.
2. The edges of a real chanterelle's hat are always torn. The false mushroom often has smooth edges.
3. The leg of a real chanterelle is thick, while the leg of a false chanterelle is thin. In addition, the edible chanterelle's cap and leg form a single whole. And in the false chanterelle, the leg is separated from the cap.
4. Edible chanterelles always grow in groups. False chanterelles can also grow alone.
5. The smell of an edible mushroom is pleasant, unlike an inedible one.
6. When pressed, the flesh of the edible chanterelle turns red; the color of the false chanterelle does not change.
7. Real chanterelles are not wormy, which cannot be said about their poisonous counterparts.

False fox or orange talker

Calorie content of chanterelles

The calorie content of chanterelles per 100 g is 19 kcal.

How and for how long can fresh chanterelles be stored?

Mushrooms should be stored at a temperature of no more than +10°C. Freshly collected chanterelles cannot be kept for more than a day, even in the refrigerator. It is best to start processing them immediately.

How to clean chanterelles?

Mushrooms need to be cleared of debris and damaged mushrooms must be separated from whole ones. Forest debris is removed with a hard brush or soft cloth (sponge). Dirt does not stick to the surface of the chanterelles so much that it needs to be cleaned off with a knife. Use a knife to cut off the rotten, softened and damaged parts of the mushroom. Remove debris from the plates with a brush. This is especially important for subsequent drying.

After cleaning the chanterelles, rinse them thoroughly, turning Special attention on the underhat plates. They are usually washed in several waters. If you suspect a bitter taste, soak the mushrooms for 30-60 minutes.

Why are chanterelles bitter and how to remove the bitterness?

Chanterelles have a natural bitterness, for which they are especially valued in cooking and for which reason they are disliked by various insects and pests. The bitterness increases if the mushrooms are not processed immediately after collection, as well as under the influence of the following natural factors. Chanterelles collected from:

• in hot dry weather;
• under coniferous trees;
• in moss;
• close to busy highways and environmentally polluting industrial enterprises;
• overgrown mushrooms;
• false chanterelles.

It is best to collect and cook young mushrooms with unopened caps. The likelihood of bitterness in them will be low.

To prevent the chanterelles from becoming bitter, you can soak them for 30-60 minutes and then boil them, draining the water after cooking. By the way, you can boil it not only in water, but also in milk.

It is better to freeze boiled mushrooms: firstly, it turns out more compact, and secondly, when boiled they will not taste bitter. If you have frozen fresh chanterelles, and after defrosting you find that they are bitter, try the following:

• Boil the mushrooms in boiling salted water. You can add a couple of pinches citric acid. The bitterness will transfer into the water, which you will then drain.

How to cook and store chanterelles. Cooking methods

In Russia, the chanterelle genus is represented by 4 species. All of them are edible and tasty mushrooms, which have long been used in cooking.

• From the point of view of blanks, the greatest interest is common chanterelle, or real. It is eaten boiled, fried, pickled, pickled and pickled.
• Gray chanterelle- a very tasty, although unsightly-looking mushroom. It is used for making sauces, soups, and is good in dried form. Both fresh and dried gray chanterelles used as an additive to various dishes.
• Chanterelle yellowing good both in various dishes and in preparations for the winter. It is canned, pickled, dried. Dry chanterelles ground into powder make amazing soups and sauces.
• Velvety Chanterelle- a very rare mushroom, it is better not to pick it so that it does not disappear from nature completely.

Chanterelles can be:

• cook

Cut large chanterelles into slices and cook after boiling over reduced heat for 15-20 minutes. You can boil not only in enamel dishes, but also in a slow cooker or microwave oven. If you eat mushrooms immediately after cooking, you should add salt to the water. In this case, the broth can be used to prepare various dishes. If you fry the chanterelles after boiling, it is wiser to leave the water unsalted so that mineral salts do not escape from the mushrooms. In this case, you don’t need to cook them for more than 4-5 minutes. First rinse dried chanterelles several times in warm water, and then soak in cold water for 2-4 hours. After this, put them to boil in the same water. Let them simmer for 40-60 minutes.

• fry

It is not necessary to cook the chanterelles before frying. But if you want the mushrooms to definitely not taste bitter, it is better to boil them, draining the water after cooking.

Before frying, the mushrooms need to be cut: the cap into equal slices, the stem into circles. Since mushrooms contain 90% water, and at a temperature of 60-70° the liquid leaves the fruiting bodies, they begin to fry only after this juice has evaporated. Fry finely chopped onion in a frying pan in oil, then add the chanterelles and fry until the moisture released has evaporated. Then add salt, add sour cream if desired and simmer until tender for 15-20 minutes. Chanterelles can also be baked and poached.

• salt

Different sources treat pickling chanterelles differently. Some say that these forest dwellers are good in any form, except salted. Others give different recipes salting and claim that salted chanterelles have a right to exist. They say that chanterelles prepared in this way are somewhat harsh and inexpressive in taste.

Chanterelles are salted cold and hot. For cold pickling The mushrooms are washed and soaked for a day in water with salt and citric acid (per liter of water: 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 grams of citric acid). There is no need to boil them. The chanterelles, dried after soaking, are placed in prepared dishes: enamel, wood or glass. First, the bottom of the container is sprinkled with salt, then the mushrooms are laid out with their caps down in layers of 6 cm, sprinkling each of them with salt (50 g of salt per kilogram of chanterelles), dill, chopped garlic, currant leaves, horseradish, cherries, and caraway seeds. Cover the mushrooms with a light cloth on top, cover the dish with a lid that fits freely into it and press down with pressure. They are kept warm for fermentation for 1-2 days, then taken out into the cold. You can eat chanterelles after 1.5 months from the moment of salting.

• marinate

Pickled chanterelles followed by pasteurization. Before harvesting, the fruiting bodies of common chanterelles must be thoroughly cleaned and washed. Cut large mushrooms into 4 parts, leave small ones whole. They are boiled for 15 minutes in salted water with citric acid. Hot chanterelles are placed in prepared jars and filled with marinade so that 2 cm remains to the edge of the jar. Onion rings, laurel leaves, and pieces of horseradish root can be added on top. Covered jars are pasteurized for 2 minutes - this is the optimal time for preserving B vitamins in mushrooms. Pickled chanterelles should be stored at a temperature of 0 to 15° in a dry cellar.

Pickled chanterelles without pasteurization. First, the mushrooms are boiled in salted water for about 15 minutes. Then prepare the marinade - boil water with the addition of salt and vinegar. Add mushrooms to the boiling marinade and cook for 20 minutes. Add spices and sugar 3 minutes before the end of cooking. The chanterelles are placed in sterilized jars, poured with the marinade in which they were cooked, and rolled up.

• ferment

The washed chanterelles are cut into equal slices. Pour water into a saucepan, add (per 1 kg of chanterelles) 1 tablespoon of salt, 3 g of citric acid. Bring to a boil and then add mushrooms, cook for 20 minutes. At the same time, they are stirred and the foam that appears is removed. Then the mushrooms are drained in a colander, washed with cold water and dried. Bring the filling to a boil, but do not boil: per liter of water take 5 tablespoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Cool the solution to 40°C. Add whey from skim sour milk (20 g per 1 liter of solution). Three-liter jars are filled with mushrooms and filled with prepared liquid. They keep it warm for three days and then take it out into the cold.

• dry

Healthy, unwashed, but well-cleaned mushrooms are cut into slices 3-5 mm thick along the fruiting body. Sliced ​​chanterelles are placed on a drying board or in a special dryer so that they do not come into contact with each other. Chanterelles can be dried in well-ventilated rooms, outside (in the shade or in the sun), in a dryer, in an oven, or in an oven.

First, the mushrooms are dried at a low temperature (60-65°) so that the juice does not leak out of them, and then at a higher temperature. When drying mushrooms in the sun, it is important to ensure that dew and rain do not get on them. Chanterelles are considered well dried if the mushroom slices crumble finely between your fingers. Store dried chanterelles in tin, glass or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids.

How to freeze chanterelles for the winter?

Before freezing, mushrooms should be thoroughly washed and dried well, laid out on a cloth. You can freeze fresh, boiled, baked and fried chanterelles. Fresh (raw) mushrooms may taste bitter after defrosting. Therefore, before freezing, it is better to boil them in water or milk, fry them in hard butter or bake them in the oven.

Prepared and dried mushrooms can be placed in freezer bags, food containers made of polymers, metal or glass, in the latter case filling the containers 90%. Close tightly so that the food does not come into contact with air. Store in the freezer at -18°C for one year.

Mushrooms should be defrosted on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator at a temperature of +4°C. To defrost, do not heat them or pour boiling water over them. In addition, thawed mushrooms cannot be re-frozen. If they accidentally thawed due to a refrigerator breakdown and you want to freeze them again, you can do this by first boiling or frying the mushrooms.

• Hinomannose, contained in chanterelles, helps to cope with helminths that have infected humans. However, this polysaccharide is destroyed during heat treatment already at 50°C, and when salting it is killed by salt. Therefore, herbalists advise using an alcoholic infusion of chanterelles for treatment.
• The pharmacy sells the drug "Fungo-Shi - chanterelles", intended for the treatment of helminthiasis. The medicine from chanterelles was developed by Russian scientists and tested in Russia and abroad.
• The antibiotic contained in chanterelles blocks the development of the tuberculosis bacillus.
• Chanterelles often grow in the form of “witch rings.” In ancient times, European peoples mystified such phenomena. They attributed the appearance of the rings to witches' sabbaths and the tricks of elves. Now scientists explain this by saying that a spore that falls to the ground forms mycelium, which grows evenly in all directions, forming an even circle. And the middle part of the mycelium gradually dies.
• The name "chanterelle" does not come from the word fox. The name of the mushrooms comes from the Old Russian adjective “fox” - yellow. Both the animal and the mushroom are named for their color.
• Although mushrooms contain vitamins, they are completely destroyed during cooking. An exception is fermented mushrooms rich in vitamin C.
• If there is a pine or birch tree growing near the house, then you can try to grow your own chanterelles under them. Mash the mushroom caps, place them, without burying them, on the surface of the soil near the tree, water and mulch on top with pine needles or birch leaves.
• Chanterelles contain the most a large number of fat compared to other mushrooms - 2.4%. Fats in mushrooms are concentrated mainly in the spore-bearing layer, in chanterelles - in the plates.

Due to their appearance, chanterelles cannot be confused with other mushrooms. Their caps and legs look solid and seem to have no boundaries. The hat has an irregular shape, it is flat and has uneven edges.

It can be concave or funnel-shaped, which is why it resembles the shape of an inverted umbrella. The color is mostly yellowish or with an orange tint.

You can find chanterelles in the forest from early summer until mid-October. Mushrooms are often found near spruce, pine and oak trees. Especially in damp places, in moss, among leaves on the ground.

Chanterelles can be easily spotted as they grow in large groups. Below are photos of chanterelle mushrooms, which illustrate the above.

What types of chanterelles are there?

In total, there are more than 60 varieties of chanterelles, including both edible and inedible. The most famous types are listed below:

Ordinary. The pulp has a yellowish tint along the edges; the cut is usually white. The taste of the chanterelle is sour, the thickness of the leg is 1-3 cm, and the length is 4-7 cm.

What distinguishes the common chanterelle from other species is the absence of worms or larvae, since the mushrooms contain poisonous components.

Gray. This variety is little known to mushroom pickers, so they usually avoid them. The hat has waves at the edges and indentations in the center. It is impossible to accurately describe the taste of gray chanterelle, since the variety is not aromatic. This type of mushroom can be found from mid-summer to mid-autumn.

Cinnabar red. This variety of mushrooms has a red and pinkish-red color. The edges of the cap are uneven and curved. The mushroom can be found in deciduous forests, oak groves and eastern North America.

Velvety. This is one of the rare species of chanterelles. Young mushrooms have a more convex cap, but the older they get, the more funnel-shaped it becomes. The mushroom smells pleasant, but tastes quite sour.

You can meet chanterelles in the south and east of Europe, as well as in deciduous forests. The harvest takes place from July to mid-autumn.

Faceted. The stem and cap of this type of chanterelle mushroom are connected. The pulp is quite dense and has a pleasant smell. To understand where chanterelles grow, you need to go to the oak grove of Africa and the Himalayas. The collection takes place in summer and autumn.

Yellowing. Its top is yellowish and its bottom is orange. The pulp is beige in color, but odorless and aromaless. Often, yellowing chanterelles grow in coniferous forests, on moist soil, and they can be collected until the end of the summer season.

Tubular. The cap of this type of mushroom is funnel-shaped and has scales on it. The pulp is usually white, has a bitter taste and smells like soil. Deciduous and coniferous forests are the favorite locations of these mushrooms.

Cantharellus minor. This variety of mushrooms can be easily confused with other varieties, but it is distinguished by its small size. The color is predominantly yellowish and orange. The leg of the chanterelle is hollow, becoming narrow towards the end. Head into the deciduous forest to collect Cantharellus minor.

Cantharellus subalbidus. The color is mostly white or beige. The cap looks wavy at the edges, the leg is fleshy and uneven. Coniferous forest is the most common location for this variety.

Edible and inedible chanterelle: what is the difference?

Below is a description of chanterelle mushrooms, which include both edible and inedible species.

• A normal mushroom will have a light color, a dangerous one will have a bright color;
• The first type has torn edges, while the false one has perfectly smooth edges;
• A thick leg is found in edible ones, a thin one - in inedible ones;

• The first type of mushrooms grows in groups, and the second alone;
• Healthy mushrooms smell nice;
• When pressed on the flesh of a regular chanterelle, a red color is reflected;
• No worms.

What are the benefits of chanterelles?

• They contain many vitamins;
• Almost no worms;
• The ergosterol content in red mushrooms helps strengthen organs;
• Useful for curing diseases.

There are three ways to store chanterelles: salt, dry and freeze. The latter method preserves useful substances in them.

Regarding the basic requirements - avoid storing it in the room.

The ideal temperature for all varieties should not exceed 10 degrees, and should be stored for no more than a day. Better process them quickly.

Processing mushrooms involves clearing them of debris and separating them into healthy and damaged ones. Then rinse the chanterelles and dry them on a towel.

Make sure there is little moisture left on the mushrooms. Before frying in a pan, boil the mushrooms in a saucepan.

Photos of chanterelles

Chanterelle mushrooms (from the Latin Cantharēllus cibārius) are familiar to literally every lover of “quiet hunting”, since this particular crop is one of the most popular delicacies and is in no way inferior to royal boletuses, honey mushrooms and champignons. The delicate pulp, rich aroma and attractive appearance of the fruiting bodies of the plant lures even the most inexperienced mushroom pickers into the forest, because even children know that chanterelles make an excellent snack, and the mushroom is in perfect harmony with other products in dishes such as salads, soups, sauces . Experienced housewives stock up on mushrooms for future use, pickling and pickling them for the winter.

Today we will look at the crop in more detail, studying both the appearance, characteristics and beneficial properties of the fruits, as well as their scope. In addition, we will talk about existing varieties of representatives of the Chanterelle family.

Description and photo of the common chanterelle

Real or ordinary chanterelle is an edible mushroom of yellow-orange color. Grows throughout the area Russian Federation, preferring both coniferous and deciduous forest thickets. Externally, the culture resembles small, asymmetrical funnels with curled edges or an umbrella turned in the opposite direction by the wind. The cap is attached to a low, but rather fleshy stem, while there are no obvious boundaries for the “parts” of the mushroom; the “support” smoothly connects to the “head”, forming a solid fruiting body. The color of the mushroom can vary from bright orange to light yellow, depending on the age and habitat of each individual member of the family. The average size of the fruiting body is from 3 to 9 centimeters.
If you take a chanterelle in your hands, you can feel the delicate and smooth surface of the mushroom under your fingers, the skin of which is almost impossible to separate from the pulp.

The latter is painted the same color as the surface of the fruit. If we consider the product from a culinary point of view, chanterelle is quite dense, aromatic, with a bright taste and elastic flesh.

home distinctive feature of the culture we are considering - its surface resembles lamellar folds with veins. If you are unfamiliar with the “appearance” of the variety, contact any search engine with the appropriate request - the Internet will provide you with thousands of pictures of edible chanterelles.

The harvest period for the orange delicacy is from the beginning of June to the end of October (the duration of the mycelium growing season may vary depending on the climate of each individual region). An important condition for the growth of the fungus is high humidity, preferably the presence of a stream or spring nearby.

When going into the forest for prey, choose a day after rain or heavy fog; the plant does not like drought with the scorching sun. Use the acquired knowledge in practice, and also look for “groups” of red mushrooms, since the culture prefers to develop in colonies.

Composition and beneficial properties

In addition to its rich taste and pleasant aroma, chanterelle mushrooms are famous for the rich chemical composition of their orange pulp. Fruiting bodies are considered very healthy and nutritious, however, per 100 grams of product there are only 19 kcal, which makes the product even more attractive, especially for those who are trying to lose weight.

Useful substances included in the mushroom we are considering:

• Vitamins of groups B, C, PP, E, D, A.
• Amino acids, trametonolinic acid.
• Poly-, di- and monosaccharides.
• Chitinmannose (a substance that attacks insect larvae).
• Phosphorus, zinc, magnesium.
• Copper, manganese, iron.
• Ergosterol.
• Natural antibiotics.
• Calcium, potassium, cobalt.

Medicinal properties

If we consider culture from the point of view of the influence of the product on the human body, chanterelles are useful:

• As a means for complex measures to restore vision.
• For diseases of the pancreas and liver.
• To combat tuberculosis.
• In the treatment of anemia (iron deficiency).
• To strengthen the immune system and the body as a whole (mostly the central nervous system).
• In the prevention of tumor diseases.

Benefits for the body

In addition to the above, mushrooms have an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory effect (recommended for use for bronchitis or sore throat), and are also used to get rid of helminths.

The plant has long been widely used by traditional healers, and in last years Traditional medicinal preparations also began to be manufactured based on natural raw materials.

Contraindications, use with caution

Like any other product, chanterelle mushrooms have their contraindications.

First of all, every gourmet should remember that any type of mushroom is considered a heavy, difficult to digest food, chanterelles are no exception. It is necessary to eat forest fruits within reason, since uncontrolled “overeating” can lead to serious disruptions in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. People suffering from chronic diseases of the above-mentioned gastrointestinal tract, that is, digestion, should completely abandon the product.

A separate group of people who are not recommended to feast on any types of mushrooms are children under 5-6 years of age. The same applies to elderly, weakened people, as well as women who are in an “interesting” position or are breastfeeding.

Allergy sufferers and those who have an individual intolerance to one or more components of other mushroom cultures can eat mushrooms with caution.

There are no other warnings, the main thing is to know when to stop.

Application of plant fruiting bodies

Let’s pay a little attention to the areas of life activity in which chanterelles are used.

First of all, it's cooking.

As we noted earlier, the mushrooms we are considering are incredibly aromatic and pleasant to the taste. Experienced housewives and good cooks have become adept at boiling, frying, salting, pickling and even drying the delicacy. In addition to independent dishes, chanterelles harmonize perfectly in salads, sauces, soups and baked goods. The ideal simple side dish for the product is potatoes, rice, pasta or buckwheat. As for seasonings and spices for piquancy, the taste of chanterelles is even brighter if you add pepper, bay leaf, dill, celery or clove inflorescences to them.

Chanterelles in medicine

Traditional healers, healers and representatives of traditional pharmaceuticals are firmly convinced that chanterelles bring great benefits to the human body. Tinctures, extracts, tablets, and ointments are made from the fruiting bodies of the plant. Such remedies are useful for deteriorating vision, fungal or other skin lesions, infection with worms, as well as for liver diseases and respiratory tract. As for more severe ailments, the plant is useful in combination with other medications in the treatment of sarcoma, tuberculosis, and tumors. Are you sick with ARVI or tonsillitis? Mushrooms will help you get back on your feet much faster.

Fighting obesity or slight excess weight

Like any other mushrooms, chanterelles perfectly satisfy the feeling of hunger, and you only need to eat 100-150 grams of them. Due to its low calorie content, the product will not be “deposited” in the body, which means it will not add centimeters to the sides. People who practice weight loss diets know very well that mushrooms can replace high-calorie meat - it is enough to consume the product two to three times a week so that the body receives the required amount of nutrients and minerals. If the diet is “associated” with medical recommendations (for example, in case of digestive problems), it is best to give preference to boiled or stewed fruit bodies. Within a few months of using such a “menu” you can get rid of 3-7 unwanted kilograms (individually, since the metabolism of all people is different).

Chanterelles in cosmetology

In addition to traditional medicine, the fruits of the culture we are considering are in demand in cosmetology. For example, dried, powdered chanterelles are an important ingredient in anti-aging, moisturizing, and toning creams/ointments. Extracts or alcohol tinctures based on forest gifts are also effective in skin care. The nutrient can be purchased at a pharmacy or prepared independently; the Internet contains a large number of corresponding recipes.

Of course, for each of the described “cases” you need a certain, useful variety of chanterelles. That is why below we will consider the most famous edible chanterelles from more than 60 representatives of the family.

Healthy types of chanterelles that you can eat

To avoid harvesting poisonous mushrooms, every “hunter” should have an idea about edible mushrooms, growing in his region. Since the topic of today's article is chanterelle mushrooms, our goal is to find out which fruiting bodies of this family can be put in a basket and brought home. So let's get started:

Common fox or cockerel

The most common type of culture, which we talked about at the very beginning (we will not repeat ourselves, see the description and characteristics above).

Velvety

A mushroom found among deciduous trees warm regions of Europe, and very rarely. Suitable for eating. The main distinguishing feature is a tiny cap (up to 5 centimeters) and an equally small leg. The shape is initially convex and becomes funnel-shaped as it ages. The pulp is light orange, identical to the skin. It tastes pleasant, with a slight sourness, and is used in many areas of cooking. An inexperienced collector most likely will not distinguish the velvety mushroom from the “original” one, but the plant does not pose any danger, so the error is in this case not scary.

Faceted

Grows in Africa, Malaysia and North America. Can develop both in groups and independently. The growing season is from June to October. The stem and cap also “merge” with each other. The optimal size is from 3 to 11 centimeters. The cap is significantly different from the cockerel, since its surface is painted bright yellow, and its shape is more like an uneven dish. The skin is smooth. The folds are not pronounced.

Cinnabar red

It is distinguished by its red-scarlet color and small size. The average diameter of the cap is 2-4 centimeters, the height of the stem does not exceed 4 cm. The pulp is dense, elastic, fibrous and fleshy. The shape is uneven, semi-concave, with smooth folds. Prefers to grow in deciduous thickets of North America.

Gray fox

Very unusual mushroom, scaring away non-professionals with its gloomy, dark color. The diameter of the “head” is 1-7 centimeters, the thin flesh slowly develops into a hollow stalk. The shape of the cap is an asymmetrical circle, with a depression in the center and curved, contrasting edges (usually they are lighter, reminiscent of a border). Folded hymenophore. If the flesh is damaged, the mushroom takes on a brownish tint. The fruit bodies of the gray chanterelle do not have a strong smell or bright taste, but are an excellent “additive” to complex dishes. The mushroom is unpopular, so few people risk eating it.

Voronchataya

The second name is tubular. The ideal habitat is coniferous or mixed forests of the European part of the mainland. It is distinguished by its beige-gray color, scaly skin and bitterish pulp. Externally, the funnel fox may resemble a winter honey fungus, but the misconception instantly dissipates once you see the back of the cap. The leg is thin, no more than 10 mm in diameter, but quite high, growing up to 8 centimeters. The cap is small, the edges are uneven, grows up to 7 cm. Popular among lovers of bitter and spicy dishes.

We looked at the most common, edible varieties of chanterelles. It remains to pay attention to the false twins of the plant - it is with them that careless collectors often confuse the common chanterelle.

False chanterelles

The common fox is famous a huge amount inedible, or downright poisonous counterparts. Let's look at two types of mushrooms that most closely resemble the crop we are studying.

Orange talker

The twin is an edible variety, the consumption of which can lead to food poisoning. It disguises itself as a forest delicacy with the bright orange color of its fruiting body. To recognize a “deceptive” mushroom, you need to pay attention to the color “uniformity” - the middle of the talker may be darker than the edges, and dubious spots are often visible on the surface. Also, the inedible plant is distinguished by smoother edges of the cap and a thin stem, visually separated from the “head”. Most often it grows separately, in contrast to the healthy delicacy, which prefers to develop in groups. If damaged, the color of the pulp remains the same, but the smell can hardly be called pleasant. The right way recognize a false mushroom, cut a specimen and check it for worms - chanterelle lookalikes do not contain chitinmannose, which means the fruiting bodies are often affected by pests.

Poisonous mushroom of the Negnyuchnikov family, the use of which can lead to serious intoxication of the body. “Equipped” with an impressive, dense, convex-shaped cap; as it ages, it becomes flat, with a small tubercle in the middle. The color is reddish-yellow, bright, sometimes with brown tones. The surface is smooth, shiny, in adult representatives it darkens and is covered with a web of small cracks. The leg is stable and dense. The inside of the “head” is strewn with wide, chaotic plates. The smell is repulsive, with putrid notes. Grows in colonies.

Not every lover of “silent hunting” is able to distinguish a healthy delicacy from its insidious doubles. In such cases, mushroom pickers must remember the only “golden” rule of the forest - “if you are not sure about the mushroom you find, you should not cut it and put it in the basket.”

Processing and storage of edible chanterelles

At the end of our article, we will pay attention to the processing and preparation of the delicacy we are considering, because any fresh mushroom has short term shelf life, and there are many people who want to stock up on a tasty product.

The fact is that even chanterelles freshly brought from the forest can be stored exclusively in the refrigerator, no longer than 24 hours. That is why it is recommended to process the harvested crop immediately.

Proper cleaning of forest products

• Returning from a “quiet hunt”, carefully sort through the harvest and get rid of damaged, spoiled, old mushrooms.
• Clean the remaining fruits from soil, leaves and forest debris.
• To avoid damaging the product, use a damp cloth, and then carefully rinse the chanterelles under a thin stream of running water.
• Pay attention to the plates on the back of the cap; usually it is in them that grains of sand and soil get stuck.
• If the harvest you harvest is bitter (typical of some varieties of chanterelles), soak the fruits in cold water or fresh milk for at least 60 minutes.

The mushrooms are ready for further manipulation.

Why is the fruit pulp bitter?

If you find that the delicacy you find is bitter, do not despair - this is not at all an indication that the product is inedible. The fact is that chanterelles can taste bitter for several reasons:

• After severe freezing.

• Your region has been subjected to a prolonged drought; the mushrooms did not have enough moisture.
• Mushrooms grew among coniferous crops, and the soil was covered with moss.
• Old members of the family have been added to your cart.
• The collection was carried out in an area with poor ecology or nearby industries (in this case, it is better to get rid of mushrooms, since they could absorb toxins from the environment).

The first four reasons are not a threat to health, but it is better to give preference to collecting young, barely opened specimens.

Popular methods of preparing the delicacy we are considering

As we found out earlier, chanterelles cannot boast of a long shelf life. Based on this, it follows that the product must be cooked or heat-treated within the first 24 hours after harvest.

We present to your attention the most popular ways to increase the shelf life of a product.

Cooking

It is believed that it is best to pre-boil any mushroom, and only then fry, salt, marinate or add to any dishes. This rule primarily applies to chanterelles, since it is after treatment with boiling water that the fruiting bodies of the plant lose their bitterness. If you want to cook chanterelles for dinner or stock up on them for future use, boil them on the stove or using a slow cooker, and then use them according to the previously planned “scenario”.

Frying

You can fry chanterelle mushrooms either raw or boiled. Cut the fruits into equal pieces and safely place them in a hot frying pan with oil. You will notice how first all the juice from the product will evaporate, and then the mushrooms will begin to fry and emit a pleasant aroma. The optimal preparation time for the treat is 30-40 minutes. Ideal additional ingredients - onion, pepper, salt, dill and sour cream.

Watch the video on how to deliciously fry mushrooms.

Drying

If you decide to dry the harvested crop, it is important that it does not come into contact with water. Clean the fruits with a napkin or damp cloth, then hang the “mushroom beads” in a warm room or place the delicacy in the oven (you can use a special dryer). Check the condition of the product every hour; if you overcook the chanterelles, the raw materials will literally begin to crumble in your hands, and will also lose a significant part of the useful elements.

Pickled

Chanterelles can also be pickled by wrapping them in sterile jars. There are a huge variety of pickling recipes, because each housewife optimizes the “sequence” of actions and ingredients to suit her own individual preferences. If speak about classic recipe marinating, mushrooms are boiled in salted water with the addition of citric acid, after which they are placed in jars and filled with liquid with vinegar, salt and seasonings. It is very important to re-sterilize already filled jars, this will eliminate the risk of the snack spoiling or becoming moldy.

The product can be salted

Such preparation will not take much time; you just need to mix boiled or soaked fruit bodies with a few grams of lemon juice and plenty of salt. Garlic, onions, peppers, currants, dill or cloves can be added as desired. The appetizer is placed under pressure and aged for 48 hours, after which the dish can be served on the table or rolled into jars.

Some housewives prefer to ferment chanterelles for the winter.

This method of cooking has few fans, but they all exist:

1. Clean the mushrooms from debris and rinse under running water.
2. Cut the fruits into equal parts.
3. Prepare a solution of water, salt and citric acid, boil the liquid.
4. Add chanterelles, simmer for 15-20 minutes.
5. Place the product in a colander, rinse, and wait for excess moisture to drain.
6. Prepare the solution again: 2 liters of water + 10 tablespoons of salt + 4 tablespoons of sugar + 40 grams of fermented whey. Boil it. Adjust to 35-40 degrees.
7. Distribute the mushrooms into pre-sterilized jars and fill with the solution. Cork it.

The dish will be ready in three days. As for freezing cockerels, you can send them into the cold boiled, fried or raw. The optimal storage container is food containers or plastic bags. Shelf life – 8-10 months.

We looked at how to recognize, process, cook and store chanterelles, and also studied how the forest product is useful. When going outdoors to hunt for prey, remember that gathering requires attentiveness and at least minimal knowledge about the culture for which the “hunt” is planned.