Russula (Russula) is called not one, but a whole genus of mushrooms, in which there are about 275 species. Not all of them can be eaten. The easiest way to determine edibility to taste. Hot-caustic means that you have a poisonous mushroom. Even good edible species can be bitter after a drought. But the housewives soak them and dry or pickle. About how to cook and how much time it takes, as well as how to soak the russula, read further in the material.

Do I need to cook russula

These mushrooms must be cooked. Only after that they can be consumed in salads, for the preparation of pizza or sauces. For salting and canning, it is recommended to choose young specimens. The color of the russula does not really matter. But mushroom pickers are advised to choose yellow specimens, as they will definitely be edible. If you found green or blue in the forest, then they did not turn blue due to external factors, and such by nature, are also quite edible.

Important! Red — It is a warning color in nature. Therefore, do not collect Russula red shade - they are poisonous.

Before you start cooking, do not forget to peel and wash the mushrooms:

• there is a thin film on the hat of the russula, which gives bitterness, so it must be removed;
• then you need to clean the mushrooms from pollution with a paper towel;
• then soak in clean water for 1 hour.

How much to cook

The time that will be spent on cooking mushrooms depends on their density. For russula it is about 40 minutes.

How to boil:

1. Sort all the russula, removing damaged and cutting damaged areas.
2. Remove dirt. Remove the film from the hat.
3. Fold in a colander and wash thoroughly with cold water.
4. Put a pot of water on the fire, wait for it to boil.
5. Put mushrooms in it. Be sure to salt (10-20 g of salt per 1 liter of water).
6. As soon as the mass boils, a foam will begin to form. It must always be removed and the contents stirred so that the mushrooms do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
7. Add bay leaf, a few peas of black pepper to the broth to give the dish an additional flavor.

Important! If the mushrooms begin to sink to the bottom, then they are cooked and it is time to turn off the fire.

For soup

If the russula is for soup, then be careful. They give off bitterness, which will easily ruin the dish. Therefore, before boiling, cooks recommend soaking the mushrooms for 1 hour. In the spring, summer and autumn, Russula accumulate bitterness in different ways. Therefore, there is no single requirement for soaking time. Just taste them. If not bitter - you can set to cook.

Before frying

Most of the contents of the mushrooms are water. Given the porous structure of the fruiting body, the amount of water in them during soaking increases. This moisture can prevent the mushroom from browning.

Therefore, you need to apply a number of rules:

1. After soaking, put the russula on a dish and dry it a little.
2. For frying, take a pan with thick walls so that it holds well and evenly distributes heat.
3. Fire make medium or more average. This is necessary so that moisture evaporates from the pan at the same speed with which it is formed.
4. Add salt at the end of frying. This will keep the texture of the russula softer. You can also put spices to taste.

Did you know? Latin name for Russula Russula - means "red" due to the reddish cap.

Fried Russula go well with all kinds of vegetables, sour cream, onions. They are also mixed with other mushrooms and seasoned with dill, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, black pepper, and other spices. And then they are used to make salads, appetizers and fillings in bakery products.

Until ready

Classic boiling begins with the selection of dishes. Take a pot that does not react with acids and alkalis: enameled or stainless steel. Turn the heat to maximum and bring the water to a boil.

Boiling step by step:

1. Pour mushrooms into boiling water and stir with a slotted spoon.
2. Reduce the flame to medium. As foam develops, remove it.
3. 15 minutes after boiling, add salt, pepper and bay leaf to the solution.
4. Cook for about 20 minutes.
5. Drain the mushrooms into a colander.

Important! The decoction of russula is not left for further use, because bitterness will be present in it.

How to cook

There are many ways to make russula. They can be dried, pickled, fried or cooked in other ways. Below are some of them.

For pickled russula with blueberry twigs you will need:

• mushrooms: 2 kg;
• blueberries: 1 vet .;
• garlic: 3 tooth .;
• salt: at the rate of 10 g per 1 liter of water;

Cooking:

1. Put the mushrooms in a bowl and peel with a knife, removing debris, branches, leaves.
2. Wash thoroughly. Place in another bowl and fill with chilled water for 10 minutes.
3. Drain the water. Stack mushrooms in a pan. Season with salt and garlic. Add a sprig of blueberries.
4. Leave to marinate for 12 hours, cover.
5. Add onions, season with vegetable oil and can be served in the form of a salad.

There are several ways to fry russula. You can always choose one of them.

Method 1 Mushrooms are cleaned, washed, hats are separated from the legs. The hats are soaked in salt water for 10 minutes. Then put in a colander and drain the liquid. Prepare breading from flour, dip each hat in it and put it in a pan in one layer. Fried until golden brown. Similarly, fry the legs separately from the hats.

Method 2 Peel 1 head of onion and 2 cloves of garlic. Everything is cut and fried until transparent in butter. Add mushrooms and fry, seasoning with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice mixed with spices. The fire must be very strong. The finished dish is recommended to combine with potatoes, meat, rice or pasta.

Method 3 Only hats will be used. They are separated from the legs, washed, cleaned. Then blot with a paper towel. Salt and leave for 10-15 minutes. At the same time, dough is prepared from egg yolk, milk and 100 g of flour. It must be liquid. Add spices and herbs. Beat the protein with a mixer and gradually add to the dough. Then each cap is dipped in dough and fried in boiling oil until cooked.

Like all other mushrooms, edible russula is very beneficial for the body. They are a source of fatty acids, proteins, mono - and disaccharides. They also contain beneficial nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, phosphorus. Eating mushrooms, you replenish the body's reserves of vitamins E, C, B and PP.

The use of russula is also useful for people who have problems with the digestive tract and those who want to lose weight. They are nutritious and at the same time low in calories. Cook mushroom dishes for the family, but do not forget that not all mushrooms are edible. And before using it for food, be sure to check that you have an edible mushroom.