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Marsh russula is an edible mushroom from the russula family. This is a typical representative of the family, fully justifying its name - young mushrooms can be eaten with minimal heat treatment. The area of the fungus is very extensive, but inside the area the fungus cannot be called often found - the need for a large amount of moisture limits its wide distribution. Another name for this representative of the Syroezhkovs is float. Next, the marsh russula will be described, a photo and description of this mushroom will be given.
Where do marsh russules grow
Marsh russula are common in the temperate climatic zone of the Northern Hemisphere. They can be found in Eurasia and North America.
Most often, the marsh russula grows in coniferous forests, as it enters into symbiosis with the pine root system. In some cases, it forms mycosis with the roots of dwarf cedar or larch. She prefers wet zones, so the most numerous colonies of this fungus are found in damp forests and along the banks of swamps.
In addition, the float can be present in large quantities on various peat bogs and even on sandy soils (provided that it is humid enough and pines grow there).
It is rarely found in mixed forests; in deciduous forests, it is almost impossible to find a marsh russula.
What does marsh russula look like?
The appearance of the marsh russula corresponds to a typical representative of the russula family. Its fruiting body consists of a large cap and a relatively long, straight stem.
The hat has a diameter of 5 to 15 cm. As with all russules, it is initially spherical, but with age it turns into a flat one with a depressed area in the middle. The edge of the cap is even, but, unlike many members of the family, it is not raised, but slightly lowered. Another characteristic feature of the float is mucus on the skin of the cap.
The color of the hat can be of two options: bright red or red-orange. The depressed middle can have a brown or dark yellow tint. In some cases, the entire cap is covered with large ocher spots. The skin is easily removed from the cap.
This usually occurs in shaded areas or where the soil acidity level is too low.
The leg can be up to 100 mm long. Its diameter is from 10 to 30 mm. It has a cylindrical shape in adult mushrooms and slightly swollen at the base in young ones. In most cases, there is a cavity with a diameter of 5 to 10 mm in the center of the stem. The slightly shiny stem is white in young fruit bodies and pink-white in older ones.
Lamellar hymenophore, standard for russule. The plates of the hymenophore are wide, densely adhered to the pedicle. In some cases, they have a jagged edge; sometimes branch in the middle. The color of the plates is white, turning into yellow as it ripens.The outer ends of the plates sometimes have a cap color. Spores are pale yellow.
Is it possible to eat swamp russula
Like most members of the russula family, marsh russules are not poisonous. They can be eaten in a variety of ways - from salted and fried to boiled and stewed.
Taste qualities of marsh russula
According to the culinary classification, the float belongs to the second category of edibility. It is considered a good, tasty mushroom. She has no unpleasant smell and taste.
Heat treatment practically does not change the taste of the float and the consistency of the pulp of its fruit body.
Benefit and harm
The benefit of marsh russula is that they are able to quickly replenish the body's strength and nourish it with a whole range of nutrients. Marsh russules are especially rich in protein, and also have a high calorie content, therefore, they can be recommended for use in the following conditions:
- tiredness;
- weakness;
- exhaustion;
- overwork;
- anemia;
- vitamin deficiency.
The harm of marsh russula is mainly manifested when they are used uncontrolled. Mushrooms are a very difficult food to digest, therefore, in order to avoid unpleasant consequences, it is recommended to limit the amount of their consumption.
It is not recommended to use swamp russula for pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under 5-6 years old.
Collection rules
Marsh russula are harvested from June to September. The collection includes mushrooms that have a depressed or spherical cap with a whole skin.
Old fruit bodies, which have lesions on the skin and a yellow hymenophore, are not recommended for collection, since they are not only wormy, but also have a bitter taste that does not disappear during heat treatment.
The mushroom is cut at the very base of the stem.
False doubles of swamp russula
Marsh russula can be easily confused with other members of the family, which have worse taste characteristics. First of all, such mushrooms include black russula (another name is black diaper).
This mushroom has the same shape as the float, its cap is also covered with a layer of mucus, and its color exactly repeats the color of the “faded” caps of the marsh russula.
Just like the float, the diaper grows in pine forests and along the banks of swamps. This is a conditionally edible mushroom belonging to the fourth category of edibility. It can only be consumed salted. With any other method of processing, it is practically inedible - it tastes too bitter.
Another double of the float is the stinging russula or emetic. It is also a conditionally edible mushroom, but it is not recommended in any form for consumption. Too much pungency and unpleasant aftertaste make it unpleasant to use, even in a salty form.
Outwardly, this type of russula resembles a marsh, but it is practically devoid of mucus on the cap and its edge is slightly pulled up.
In addition, the hymenophore of the stinging variety practically does not branch, but consists of straight plates along the entire length.
How to cook marsh russula
The simplest and most commonly used method of cooking swamp russula is salting. Mushrooms can only be previously doused with boiling water, however, it is still recommended to boil them a little. The recipe for making salted mushrooms may look like this:
- The russula are washed, the skin is removed from the caps, and cut into small pieces.
- A brine is prepared - for 1 kg of mushrooms, take 1 liter of water and 2 tablespoons of salt.
- After boiling the brine, mushrooms are dipped into it and spices are added: a few leaves of laurel; 2-3 peas of allspice; 2-3 leaves of red or black currant; cloves; dill.
- Mushrooms are boiled in brine for 10-15 minutes, regularly removing the foam.
- After that, the mushrooms with brine are poured into the jars and tightly closed.
After 2-3 days, the marsh russula are ready to eat.
Cooking in other ways is no different from any kind of edible mushroom (for example, champignons). But it should be remembered that the floats require heat treatment in the form of boiling for at least 20 minutes.
Conclusion
Marsh russula is one of the most delicious mushrooms of the russula family, living in coniferous forests with high humidity. The fruit body of this variety is large, and the collection of the mushroom is relatively easy and fast. The float has versatility in processing; it can be prepared in a wide variety of ways.
