Fans of mushroom hunting often come across such a find as an umbrella mushroom in the forest. Many mushroom pickers collect it in their basket, while others avoid it, considering it poisonous and extremely dangerous. This attitude is not accidental, because this “chameleon” has many counterparts, and the skill is vital.

What it looks like and where it grows

The umbrella mushroom is found on almost all continents, with the exception of Antarctica. It is difficult not to notice, as its shape and size immediately catch the eye. Usually this lover of light forests and open meadows grows to a respectable size. When fully opened, its hat resembles an open umbrella, rising on a long white stem. This mushroom just begs to be picked up and children especially often show interest in it, sometimes confusing edible and inedible varieties.

Considering this, It is very important that mushroom hunting takes place under the supervision of experienced adults. But this mushroom is insidious in that it can be found not only in the forest, but also in any open clearings, even in garden plots. If such an umbrella mushroom has grown right in the garden, the main thing is to correctly determine whether it is an edible specimen or a toadstool. The edible mushroom has many subspecies, but toadstools also have a whole army of similar false varieties. Edible umbrellas are a type of champignon and have a pleasant taste and aroma. But this, of course, does not mean that they should be eaten raw.

Porcini mushroom: description, features of preparation and preparation

The Latin name of the mushroom is macrolepiote, it is formed by two words: “macro” (meaning “large”) and “Lepiota” (denoting a genus of mushrooms). The word “macro” appeared in the name not by chance, edible umbrella mushroom As a rule, it has an impressive size. It can grow to a height of 40 cm with a cap diameter of up to 35 cm.

It is interesting that the cap does not immediately take on the appearance of an umbrella; at first it has a spherical shape and opens only over time.

Is an umbrella poisonous or not?

It all depends on whether the right type of mushroom ends up in the basket of a lover of “quiet hunting”. General rule, which helps to distinguish the toadstool from the edible variety, sounds like this: a real umbrella mushroom, or parasol, is usually large in size.

Frail little umbrellas on a thin stem are most often toadstools. But still, in order not to make a mistake in choosing, it is better to get acquainted with the appearance of umbrellas in more detail.

Edible species

Edible varieties are somewhat similar to each other, but at the same time they have some differences. Each species has its own, sometimes quite elegant and unexpected name.

Beginners and experienced lovers of quiet hunting will be interested in learning how to cook umbrella mushrooms. Those who have not yet heard of such a forest inhabitant will be interested in basic information about the appearance, properties, rules of preparation and processing of the product.

What does an umbrella mushroom look like?

Edible umbrella mushrooms live up to their name. In the process of growth, forest gifts open their caps, previously adjacent to the legs, like an umbrella. However, many mushroom pickers do not know the special signs that confirm the edibility of the mushroom and distinguish it from its toadstool counterparts and undeservedly bypass the delicious mushrooms.

Umbrella mushrooms - benefits and harm

Umbrella mushrooms, the beneficial properties of which will be described below, can become not only a delicious delicacy, but also a valuable product that can improve health.

1. Mushrooms are high in fiber, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The low glycemic index of the product allows it to be effectively used in diet menu when losing weight.
2. “Umbrellas” contain the lion’s share of vitamins B, PP, C, E, K, and many different elements. In addition, they contain anti-cancer components and natural antioxidants that have antitumor and antibacterial effects and a rejuvenating effect.
3. All valuable elements in the complex help cleanse blood vessels, reduce cholesterol levels, strengthen the cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine systems.
4. It is not recommended to use umbrella mushrooms for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas. The product is contraindicated for use by children and pregnant women.

How to clean umbrella mushrooms?

The following information will help you understand how to process umbrella mushrooms. Depending on the type of technology preliminary preparation forest inhabitants may differ slightly, but the basic points remain the same.

1. The stems of most varieties of umbrellas are not edible due to excessive fibrous and hardness. Therefore, the first thing to do is to remove these parts by “unscrewing” them from the caps. You shouldn’t rush and throw away a seemingly unnecessary product: it can be dried, ground in a coffee grinder and used as a mushroom seasoning.
2. Few-scaled caps are simply rinsed under running water, rubbing the top a little with your hands.
3. “Shaggy” mushroom caps need to be scraped a little with a knife and only then rinsed.

How to cook umbrella mushrooms?

If, as a result of a quiet hunt, your basket is filled with umbrella mushrooms, recipes for preparing the product will help you use them in cooking correctly and tasty.

1. The fastest and easiest way to cook mushrooms is to fry them in a frying pan with or without batter, with the addition of seasonings and spices, or using a simple set of salt and pepper.
2. Hot dishes made from umbrella mushrooms for starters are especially tasty and aromatic. The broth acquires incredible richness and aroma and is complemented by a valuable filler in the form of sliced ​​mushrooms.
3. Pre-boiled or fried “umbrellas” will be ideal for a salad or other multi-ingredient treat.
4. If you want to prepare an umbrella mushroom for future use, recipes for canning the product, and recommendations for properly drying and freezing it will help you execute the idea in the best possible way.

How to fry umbrella mushrooms?

They taste like chicken fillet, turn out satisfying and nutritious. Even without adding spices, the dish is self-sufficient and aromatic, and if you add garlic, chopped herbs or sprinkle grated cheese on top at the end of frying, it will turn into a real culinary masterpiece.

Ingredients:

• umbrella mushrooms – 5-10 pcs.;
• flour – 100 g;
• lard or butter – 50 g;
• salt pepper.

Preparation

1. The hats are thoroughly rinsed, dried, dipped in flour mixed with salt and pepper, and placed in lard heated in a frying pan.
2. Fry mushrooms for 5-7 minutes on each side or until desired degree of browning.

How to cook umbrella mushrooms in batter?

The following recipe is about how to properly cook umbrella mushrooms in batter. When whole or sliced ​​caps are fried in this way, they retain their juiciness on the inside, acquiring a golden, appetizing crust on the outside. If desired, you can add finely chopped fresh dill, parsley, dried garlic or other additives to taste.

Ingredients:

• umbrella mushrooms – 5-10 pcs.;
• egg – 2 pcs.;
• flour – 150 g;
• breadcrumbs – 100 g;
• butter – 50 g;

• salt pepper.

Preparation

1. After the mushroom caps are prepared, make the batter for the umbrella mushrooms. Beat the egg with salt and pepper, adding a couple of tablespoons of flour.
2. The caps are dipped in flour, then in the egg mixture, and then breaded in breadcrumbs.
3. Immediately place the umbrellas in heated oil and brown on both sides.

Umbrella mushroom soup - recipe

Umbrella mushroom soup will be fragrant and rich. The proposed basic recipe can be used as a basis for preparing other versions of the hot dish, adding any cereal or other vegetables to it. When serving, it’s delicious to top the dish with sour cream and sprinkle with fresh chopped dill or parsley.

Ingredients:

• umbrella mushrooms – 500 g;
• water – 2 l;
• potatoes – 4 pcs.;
• onions and carrots – 4 pcs.;
• butter – 50 g;
• laurel, peppercorns - to taste;
• salt pepper.

Preparation

1. Cut the caps, put them in a container with water and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Add potatoes, and after 10 minutes add fried onions and carrots made in oil in a frying pan.
3. Season hot to taste, heat at low boil for 5 minutes.

How to cook umbrella mushrooms with eggs?

Umbrella mushrooms fried with onions and eggs are especially tasty. The dish is prepared in a frying pan or in a saucepan in the form. The delicacy will be richer if you mix a little sour cream or mayonnaise into the beaten egg mixture, and before serving, sprinkle the dish with cheese and pour over butter.

Ingredients:

• umbrella mushrooms – 5 pcs.;
• onion – 1 pc.;
• egg – 3 pcs.;
• sour cream – 30 g;
• cheese, herbs - to taste;
• butter – 50 g;
• salt pepper.

Preparation

1. Cut the prepared umbrellas and fry with onion half rings for 10 minutes.
2. Pour the contents of the pan with an egg beaten with salt, pepper and sour cream.
3. Cover the container with a lid and leave until the omelette is ready.

How to prepare umbrella mushrooms for the winter?

It is known that any fresh mushrooms do not tolerate long-term storage in raw form and require use within 24 hours. If mushroom pickers know how to deal with popular types of forest gifts, only a few know how to store umbrella mushrooms. Simple recommendations will help improve your skills in this matter and replenish your supplies with the necessary supplies.

1. Umbrella mushrooms can be dried, frozen, and used to create all sorts of preparations.
2. The product is tasty in marinated form or in the form of caviar prepared from it.
3. The dried caps are used for food after soaking, and the stems are ground into powder and used as a flavoring additive.
4. The frozen product is added to soups, main courses, and snacks.

How to dry umbrella mushrooms in the oven?

It's easy and simple to dry umbrella mushrooms in the oven. The workpiece can be stored for a long time in vacuum bags or containers without access to air or in ventilated bags, fabric bags, protecting it from foreign odors and moisture.

1. If necessary, the mushrooms are rinsed, dried and, if possible, dried a little in the sun.
2. Place the umbrellas on a baking sheet or wire rack with parchment and place them in an oven preheated to 50 degrees.
3. When drying in gas oven or a device without a fan, keep the door slightly open.
4. Drying time will depend on the size of the mushroom specimens, the capabilities of the oven and is determined individually.

How to salt umbrella mushrooms?

The umbrella mushroom is one of the most delicious representatives of the mushroom kingdom. It is considered one of the varieties of champignons, although it differs from them both in appearance and taste. It belongs to the group of saprophytes, that is, those that grow on decomposing organic debris. This mushroom is distributed throughout the world, and in our country there are five of its varieties.

Despite such features, many mushroom pickers do not take it. Maybe because the edible umbrella mushroom looks like a fly agaric? But knowledgeable mushroom pickers are happy to collect young umbrellas, which grow in one place every year. Those who want to try the pleasant nutty taste of this mushroom need to know how to distinguish it from poisonous ones, where it grows and how to cook it correctly.

Characteristics of umbrellas

Why was this mushroom called that? This will become clear when you see old mushrooms. If in youth their cap resembles an egg, then with age it opens up and becomes like an umbrella: flat, often with a small tubercle in the middle, on a long thin stem. Even in size, this mushroom is not inferior to an umbrella, albeit a child’s one. It grows up to 40 centimeters in height, and the cap is usually 25-30 centimeters in diameter. You need to know that the umbrella mushroom is edible only at a young age. It grows from late July until cold weather. Usually appears in the same place every year.

Therefore, experienced mushroom pickers go on a “quiet hunt” after the warm summer rains. Since this mushroom is a saprophyte, it loves soils rich in humus and is most often found in pastures, fields or along roads. In the forest, the umbrella mushroom chooses places where there is a lot of fallen leaves, branches and other plant debris.

How to distinguish an umbrella from poisonous mushrooms?

Many mushroom pickers are afraid to take this tasty saprophyte because it looks like a fly agaric. It also has a "skirt" and speckles on its cap. But still there are many differences:

• the three-layer ring on the umbrella leg slides up and down easily;
• The edible mushroom does not have any remnant of the cover on the stem, like poisonous ones;
• the fly agaric has a smooth and shiny cap, while the umbrella has a matte cap;
• The specks of the fly agaric are rare, but of the umbrella they appear with age, as if the skin is cracking, but the central part remains smooth.

But the danger of collecting these mushrooms is also that there is a poisonous umbrella mushroom. There are also several types of them. Some simply cause stomach upset, but some are deadly poisonous. Therefore, you need to know their signs.

Poisonous umbrella mushroom

The scientific name of the umbrella mushroom is macrolepiote. It is clear from it that it is very large in size, because “macro” means “large, large.” But there are also smaller umbrellas in our forests, which are simply called lepiots. The most common of them are lilac and comb lepiota. You need to know them well because they are inedible. What are the characteristics of a poisonous umbrella?

1. The most important thing that distinguishes it from edible is its small size. The diameter of the cap of an adult mushroom is usually 2-6 centimeters, the maximum it can reach is 12 centimeters.
2. All lepiots are similar to fly agarics in that the cap is decorated with the remains of a blanket that covered the small fungus when it climbed out of the ground.
3. Poisonous umbrellas smell unpleasant.

Rules for collecting and eating mushrooms

Types of umbrellas

Five types of these mushrooms are common in our forests:

• white umbrella;
• blushing;
• motley;
• and a very rare species listed in the Red Book - the maiden umbrella.

You can guess their characteristic features by their name, but it is better to know the most common mushrooms well, so as not to make mistakes when collecting.

Variegated umbrella mushroom

This lamellar mushroom is very common in our forests. It actively bears fruit in August-September, but individual specimens can be found in July and October. These mushrooms grow in groups, in the same place every year. The mushroom cap is ovoid, the edges are curved inward and connected by a veil. With age, it opens up and becomes flat with a small tubercle in the middle, reaching a size of 25-30 cm.

The surface of the cap is dry, brownish or gray in color. It is all covered with brown scales, which turn into white flakes at the edges. The pulp is cotton-like, with a pleasant nutty odor. The plates are white, brittle, and slightly pinkish with age. The leg is straight, thin, slightly widening downwards, hollow inside. There is a movable ring at the top. It is brown in color and cracks with age. The variegated umbrella mushroom is considered the most delicious representative of this species. It is fried, salted and even dried. And in France it is valued as a delicacy. Only young mushroom caps are eaten. Sometimes this species reaches enormous sizes - up to 50 centimeters in diameter. Then it is called “big umbrella”. But such specimens are rare.

White umbrellas

These mushrooms grow mainly in fields, along roads, in meadows and pastures. You can find them on lawns in parks and vegetable gardens, as they prefer places well lit by the sun. They are less common than the variegated varieties, but they are also edible and tasty. The white umbrella mushroom is quite small in size. The cap only grows up to 10 centimeters when opened. But only young, egg-shaped mushrooms can be eaten. The leg is very thin, with a slight thickening at the base and a pedicle ring at the top. It can be distinguished from its inedible counterparts by its pleasant smell and always white pulp and plates.

Girl's umbrella

In some books it is not classified as a member of this family, but as a mushroom. The maiden umbrella mushroom is very tasty, but is quite rare, even listed in the Red Book. It is distributed mainly in the south of Europe or in the Primorsky Territory. How to recognize it? Like all umbrellas, the cap first has an ovoid shape, opens with age, but does not grow to a large size - on average 6-10 centimeters. Its color is light hazel, often almost white, darker in the middle. The edges of the cap are thin and fringed. The color of the pulp is white, and the plates darken slightly when touched. The entire surface is covered with large scales, which become darker in color over time. The leg is very thin, widening towards the base, light in color.

Umbrella mushroom blushing

This variety is similar to the Pied and Large Umbrellas, but has some special features. It is sometimes called shaggy because of its large, flocculent scales Brown and square shape. This is a medium-sized umbrella - it is about 20 centimeters in diameter. And the leg can grow up to 25 centimeters. Its appearance is like that of all umbrellas: at first the cap is ovoid, then it opens, there is a thickening at the base of the stem and a movable ring. Its peculiarity is the reddish color that appears with age and the fact that the flesh changes color when damaged: first it becomes yellow, then orange and finally turns red. This mushroom is found in light coniferous forests with acidic soils.

How to prepare umbrellas?

This is one of the most delicious mushrooms, and it is very easy to prepare. Umbrellas can be fried immediately after first cleaning and rinsing them under running water.

They are very tasty with potatoes and onions or simply fried on sunflower oil. An unusual dish is obtained by baking umbrellas in the oven with herbs and garlic. Gourmets will like it if, before frying, soak the gibs in milk for several hours, and then boil them a little and let the water drain. You can make soup from umbrellas, salt them, dry them and pickle them. They cook very quickly, the only condition is that you only eat young caps. The legs are not eaten as they are very tough and fibrous. In an old umbrella, the pulp becomes unsuitable for food. Once you try this delicious mushroom, you will never forget its pleasant and unusual nutty taste.

There are many mushroom lovers, but not everyone knows how to collect them. Many people pass by such a tasty mushroom, collecting conditionally edible ones.

Umbrellas are the “top of summer.” In July there is a fairly large harvest of white species; from August, lovers of “quiet hunting” begin to delight lovers of “silent hunting” with reddened umbrellas. Myceliums bear fruit abundantly not only in forests (places with a thick layer of fallen leaves and humus, including in clearings and forest edges), but also in fields and pastures. Inexperienced collectors consider umbrellas to be fly agarics, although in fact they are relatives of champignons.

It is very easy to recognize an edible, tasty mushroom, as it catches your eye: tall, on a thick stalk and either with an unopened, dense ball of “headdress”, or with an “umbrella” hat with a diameter of up to 12 cm. The opened mushroom really resembles an accessory from rain, with even “” plates that are very easy to separate. Edible mushrooms smell good. If a novice mushroom picker is not sure how to collect and prepare umbrellas, he should study special reference books and consult with experts. The important rule of “quiet hunting” - “if you’re not sure, don’t take it” - has not been canceled.

How to prepare umbrellas

It is not difficult to process umbrella mushrooms: you need to wipe them with a dry sponge and remove the coarsest scales. The legs are rough, it is recommended to separate them and cook them separately. For soups and mushroom frying, the caps should be rinsed in running water and squeezed before cutting, as they absorb liquid very strongly. Before cooking whole “headdresses”, dry cleaning is sufficient.

The stems of the mushrooms, as well as, if desired, the hard top of the opened caps, can be boiled for broth and discarded. However, thrifty housewives prefer to prepare them for future use: this part of the mushroom is cut into rings and dried. After this, the legs should be crushed and the aromatic powder should be used to season the first dishes.

Fried umbrella mushrooms

There are gourmets who consider umbrellas one of the best edible mushrooms. The sorted, peeled and washed unopened “heads” need to be cut into slices and kept in a heated frying pan over low heat until the juice boils away. After that add the head onions, cut into thin half rings, salt and pepper to taste and fry in refined sunflower oil for 45 minutes. Serve the dish hot.

Umbrellas in batter

Umbrella caps, whole or cut into quarters, can be cooked in batter. To do this, the raw materials need to be rolled in the following mixture (for 3 mushrooms): beaten egg, crushed crackers or flour (4 tablespoons) and table salt to taste. After this, you need to heat up a cast-iron frying pan and fry the umbrella mushroom caps in vegetable oil on both sides until golden brown.

Mushroom sauce with pickles

Umbrella mushrooms make a great sauce for pasta and mashed potatoes. The washed caps for this recipe should be thinly sliced ​​and stewed a little with bacon (50 g), seasonings and salt (to taste). Do not use vegetable oil! After 6-7 minutes, you need to add one chopped large sweet pepper without core and seeds to the frying pan.

After the liquid has evaporated, pour in a mixture of a small amount of broth or water, 15% cream (125 ml) and ketchup (50 ml). The umbrella mushroom sauce should be simmered with stirring for 10 minutes. Before serving, add a couple of chopped (very finely!) pickled cucumbers to the dish.

Umbrella mushrooms are infrequent guests in mushroom pickers’ baskets, and all because of their similarity to some types of dangerous fly agaric mushrooms. And while less experienced mushroom lovers usually either avoid them or mercilessly crush them with their boots, experienced mushroom pickers know that the mushrooms they encounter are not only edible, but also have an excellent taste. Some of their varieties are generally considered delicacies. This statement, however, does not apply to all “umbrellas”. In this family, the most common and popular umbrella mushrooms for collecting are white, variegated and reddening - these are the ones you can fearlessly collect, cook, pickle for the winter, and then eat with pleasure. And in order not to confuse these mushrooms with their poisonous relatives, you need to carefully study their distinctive features.

White umbrella mushroom: inhabitant of forest edges and clearings

This forest dweller changes his appearance with age, which is natural for mushrooms. The cap of a young umbrella is egg-shaped, and over time it gradually opens up and takes on the appearance of a dome or, in fact, an umbrella. The opened cap has a diameter of 7 to 14 cm. Its color is white, cream or beige, with brown lagging scales in young specimens. The pronounced light brown tubercle in the center of the cap is a remnant of the mushroom’s “veil,” that is, the shell that protected the young mushroom shoot while it grew.

The stem of the umbrella is hollow, cylindrical in shape, sometimes thickened and curved towards the bottom. The white color darkens noticeably when touched. In a young mushroom, the cap plates are very light, even and frequent; over time they become brownish.

Not all mushroom pickers completely trust their knowledge and experience, especially if the mushroom they find may have dangerous doubles. When collecting white umbrella, you can also rely on your sense of smell - its white flesh has a pleasant and not too strong mushroom smell. If the flesh is cut, it does not darken from contact with air.

From June to October, the delicacy can be found in almost all countries of the European continent, as well as in Australia, North America and northern Africa. The umbrella mushroom loves forest edges, meadows and pastures, that is, open areas.

Reddening “umbrella”: how to identify

This type of umbrella mushroom is larger in size than its white “relative”. The cap reaches 22-24 cm in diameter, is covered with fibrous gray-brown scales and has a light brown, beige or gray color. Initially egg-shaped, over time it straightens and looks like a characteristic “umbrella”, with the edges folded inward.

The blushing umbrella mushroom usually grows up to 30-35 cm in height, of which the stem is about 25-28 cm. It is smooth, hollow inside, white or beige in color in young specimens, and turns brown in older specimens. The cylindrical shape tapers towards the cap and is easily separated from it.

This mushroom received the name “blushing” for a reason - firstly, its plates, initially white, turn red or pink when pressed. Secondly, when cut, the pulp itself acquires a pronounced reddish color.

The harvesting season for this mushroom is from June to early November. It is collected by residents of Europe and Asia, North America, and it is found in deciduous foxes, on mineral-rich soils, in meadows and forest clearings, and in city parks and squares.

Allergy sufferers need to be careful with this product - it can cause allergic reactions.

A colorful resident of open areas - the variegated umbrella mushroom

This variety of “umbrellas” is the largest of the listed species, since its opened cap reaches 38-40 cm in diameter. Like other umbrella mushrooms, young specimens have an egg-shaped cap, which over time becomes similar in shape to an umbrella. The color is beige or light brown, while the entire cap is covered with brown scales, which is why the mushroom is called variegated. There is a dark brown tubercle in the center of the cap.

The stem is usually up to 35 cm high, hollow or fibrous inside, easily separated from the cap. It may have rings of scales, remnants of a mushroom blanket in the shape of a ring that moves freely along the entire length of the leg. Brown color.

Almost all summer and autumn, variegated “umbrellas” grow in Europe with a temperate climate, in North and South America, and in Australia. The mushroom loves sandy soil and open spaces - meadows and edges in forests or city parks.

Edible or poisonous: how to tell the difference

The most dangerous of the beneficial umbrella mushroom counterparts are fly agaric mushrooms. Poisoning by these poisonous specimens is almost always fatal. However, mushroom pickers with many years of experience can easily name the differences between a harmful mushroom.

You need to immediately pay attention to the scales on the cap. For fly agarics, these are the remains of the bedspread, and what older mushroom, the easier it is to separate them. Adult fly agarics often have smooth caps or few scales. “Umbrellas” are characterized by the presence of a smooth central part of the cap, as well as a three-layer ring on the stem. It can move freely up and down on it. The ring on the fly agaric leg does not have this property.

How to distinguish poisonous representatives of the “umbrella” genus? All of them have a pronounced unpleasant aroma. Therefore, if you have doubts while harvesting, you need to trust your sense of smell: a sharp, nasty smell is a clear sign that this mushroom has no place on the dinner table.

Poisonous varieties of umbrella mushroom:

• lepiota crest;
• chestnut lepiota;
• lepiota rougha.

The first one on the list has a red-orange cap with bright yellow-brown scales. The leg is ocher or light cream in color. The diameter of the cap is from 2 to 5 cm, the length of the stem is up to 8 cm.

Chestnut lepiota is also small in size - the cap is only 2-4 cm in diameter, the stem is thin, usually no higher than 10 cm. This dangerous mushroom It is easier to distinguish than the others, since its color is dark brown, reddish, and even the flesh has a brownish or red tint.

Lepiota rougha looks very distinctive - it is distinguished by its orange-brown cap and the “rusty” shade of the scales on it.

False “umbrellas” also pose a danger due to their similarity to their edible relatives. Among them:

• chlorophyllum lead-slag;
• chlorophyllum dark brown.

These mushrooms, although very similar to “umbrellas,” are usually distinguished by mushroom pickers by their cut, which immediately changes color when exposed to air: the flesh becomes brown, reddish or orange. Lead slag chlorophyll also produces plates - in adult mushrooms they become greenish or dark olive in color.

The benefits of umbrella mushrooms for the body

The collected edible specimens, in addition to amazing taste properties, also have useful ones: they contain, and, melanin, and. All these substances have a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems of the body and on the condition of the skin. In addition, the product is low-calorie. Doctors allow it in dietary nutrition for obesity and diabetes.

Use of the product in cooking

Umbrella mushrooms are a rare delicacy on tables, as many people simply do not know how to distinguish edible mushrooms from dangerous ones and avoid them. However, if the housewife does have this delicacy at her disposal, she can use it to prepare soups, salads, snacks, and pickling for the winter. Mushrooms are also frozen for long-term storage.

The most popular recipes for preparing umbrella mushrooms are frying them in batter and salting them for the winter.

How to fry umbrellas? They are first peeled and boiled in salted water for half an hour. Young specimens have a more delicate oily taste, so it is preferable to choose them for cooking. In addition, only the caps are usually eaten, since the legs do not have much value in terms of taste.

First prepare the batter: mix 2 eggs and two tablespoons of white flour, add a little water and pepper to taste, and whisk all ingredients thoroughly with a whisk or fork. The prepared caps are dipped in batter on both sides, after which they are placed in a heated frying pan with vegetable oil. The cap is fried on each side for about 3-4 minutes. Fried umbrellas go well with a side dish of or, they are added to salads.

Peeled mushrooms are poured into a saucepan and poured cold water and bring to a boil, then add a spoonful of salt and cook for 40 minutes. After this time, they are thrown into a colander and washed under cold water. At this time, a marinade is prepared from the remaining ingredients, except vinegar. Vinegar is added after the liquid boils, and then mushrooms are added to the marinade - they are boiled for another 20 minutes over low heat. The next step is to send the mushrooms along with the liquid, still hot, into sterile jars. The containers are sealed with lids, turned upside down and left to cool. Store the roll in a cool, dark place.

Umbrella mushrooms are a tasty alternative to the usual ones. They can be eaten freshly prepared or prepared for the winter, and then indulged with homemade pickles or dishes from frozen stocks. The main secret is to familiarize yourself with all the rules on how to distinguish edible “umbrellas” from inedible ones.