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Chestnut Gyroporus (Gyroporus castaneus) is a type of tubular mushroom from the Gyroporov family and the Gyroporus genus. First described and classified in 1787. Other names:
- chestnut boletus, since 1787;
- Leucobolites castaneus, since 1923;
- chestnut or chestnut mushroom;
- sand or hare mushroom.
What does chestnut gyroporus look like?
Gyroporus chestnut has rather large, fleshy caps. The diameter is 2.5-6 cm in young mushrooms, 7-12 cm in mature ones. Only the fruiting bodies that have appeared have egg-shaped, rounded caps with edges tucked inward. As they grow, they straighten out, acquiring an umbrella-shaped and spherical shape. In overgrown caps, the caps become open, even or concave, with slightly raised edges, so that a spongy hymenophore is sometimes visible. Cracks may appear in dry weather.
The surface is matte, slightly velvety, covered with short fluff. By old age, they become smooth, without pubescence. The color is uniform or uneven spots, from reddish-reddish, burgundy to brown with a raspberry or ocher tint, it can be soft chocolate, almost beige, or rich brick, chestnut.
The hymenophore is spongy, finely porous, not accrete. In young mushrooms, the surface is even, white, in overripe, it is cushion-shaped, with grooves and irregularities, yellowish or creamy. The thickness of the tubular layer can be up to 1.2 cm. The pulp is white, dense, juicy. It becomes brittle with age.
The leg is located in the center of the cap or eccentric. Uneven, may be flattened, with thickenings in the central or lower part. The surface is matt, dry, smooth, often with transverse cracks. The color is rich, bright chestnut, ocher, brown-red. It also happens in beige, coffee with milk or light brown. It grows from 2.5 to 9 cm long and 1 to 4 cm thick. At first, the pulp is solid, dense, later cavities are formed, and the pulp becomes cotton-like.
Gyroporus chestnut does not change the color of the flesh at the break, remaining white or cream
Where does chestnut gyroporus grow
Gyroporus chestnut is quite rare. You can see it in deciduous and coniferous forests, on clay and sandy soil. Usually grows in forests, next to trees and in clearings, forest edges. The distribution area is quite wide: the Krasnodar Territory, the North Caucasus, the Far East, the central and western regions of the Russian Federation, Europe, Asia and North America.
The mycelium bears fruit in August-September; in warm regions, fruiting bodies survive until November. Gyroporus chestnut grows in small tight groups, rarely singly.
Chestnut gyroporus is a mycorrhizal species, therefore it does not live without symbiosis with trees
Is it possible to eat chestnut gyroporus
Chestnut gyroporus is classified as an edible species of the second category. Its pulp does not have a pronounced taste or smell, it is slightly sweetish.
False doubles
Gyroporus chestnut very similar to some fruiting bodies with a spongy hymenophore. It has no poisonous counterparts.
Gyroporus blue (popularly - "bruise"). Edible. A feature is the ability of the pulp to quickly acquire a deep blue color on a break or cut.
Color beige or ocher brown, yellowish
Porcini. Edible. It is distinguished by a fleshy, club-shaped leg of an uneven mesh color.
Boletus pulp is not able to change its color
Gall mushroom. Inedible, non-toxic. Differs in light brown, slightly grayish color of the cap. Has a pulp with a distinctly bitter taste that does not disappear under any processing methods. On the contrary, the bitterness only intensifies.
The surface of the leg is unevenly mesh, with clearly palpable fibers
Collection rules
Since chestnut gyroporus is rare and listed in the lists of endangered species, when collecting it, you should follow the rules:
- Fruiting bodies are carefully cut at the root with a sharp knife, being careful not to disturb the mycelium.
- Never loosen the forest floor, moss or leaves around the found mushrooms - this contributes to the drying out and death of the mycelium. It is better to lightly sprinkle the place of the cut with nearby leaves.
- You should not take overgrown and frankly dry, soggy or wormy specimens.
The legs of overgrown mushrooms are fibrous-wadded in structure, so it is better not to take them to the basket.
Use
Gyroporus chestnut has its own characteristics of preparation. During cooking in boiling water, the pulp acquires a bitter taste. Dried mushrooms, on the other hand, are delicious. Therefore, this type of fruit bodies is used after drying for the preparation of sauces, pies, dumplings "ears", soups.
For drying, take whole young specimens or overgrown caps, since their legs are of no value. Mushrooms should be cleaned of forest debris, cut into thin slices no more than 0.5 cm wide and dried at a temperature of 50-60 degrees to an elastic-crunchy consistency. Can be strung on threads near heat sources, dried in a Russian oven or in a special electric dryer. Then the product turns out to be light, retaining its natural taste and aroma.
Dumplings with dried chestnuts
An excellent hearty dish, suitable for a lenten table, for a holiday and for everyday use.
Required Ingredients:
- dried chestnut gyroporus - 0.3 kg;
- onions - 120 g;
- salt - 6 g;
- pepper - a few pinches;
- oil or lard for frying;
- wheat flour - 0.4 kg;
- egg - 2 pcs.;
- salt - 8 g;
- water - 170 ml.
Cooking method:
- Soak dry mushrooms for 2-5 hours or in the evening, rinse, cover with water and put on the stove.
- Boil and simmer over low heat for 30-40 minutes, until tender.
- Squeeze, twist into minced meat using a meat grinder or blender.
- Put diced onion in a hot frying pan with butter or bacon, fry until transparent, mix with mushrooms, add salt and pepper.
- For dumplings, sift flour with a slide on a table or board, make a depression in the center.
- Drive eggs into it, add water and salt.
- Knead first with a spoon or spatula, then with your hands, until the dough is firm. It shouldn't stick to your hands.
- It is advisable to leave it under a film in the refrigerator for several hours to "mature".
- Divide the dough into pieces, roll out with a sausage and cut into cubes.
- Roll each cube into juices, put the filling, close up with an "ear".
- Cook in salted boiling water with bay leaves for 8-10 minutes.
It is better to eat them hot, you can add the broth in which the dumplings were cooked.
Delicious dumplings with dried chestnut can be dipped in sour cream or pepper-vinegar mixture
Conclusion
Gyroporus chestnut is a spongy edible mushroom from the genus Gyroporus. It is rare, included in the lists of endangered and protected species. Grows in the central and southern regions of Russia, in the Leningrad region. It can also be seen in Europe, Asia and America. It grows from late summer until frost in deciduous and coniferous forests, preferring dry places, sandy or clayey soils. Edible. In terms of nutritional value, chestnut gyroporus is not inferior to white or blue mushrooms, but due to the slight bitterness that appears during cooking, it is used only in dried form. Care must be taken when collecting chestnut gyroporus, as it has an inedible double.
