Content
Drying mushroom umbrellas is easy. The process does not require special skills and dexterity, but the finished product pleases with its taste and benefits. The umbrella is a mushroom of the Champignon genus. It is low in carbohydrates and low in calories, therefore it is considered a dietary product. Due to its taste, it is widely used in cooking. It is not only dried, but also salted, pickled, fried, frozen. It goes well with potatoes, sour cream, garlic and butter. Looks great on the table and is liked by all fans of mushroom flavor.
Soups made from dried umbrellas are especially tasty.
Is it possible to dry mushrooms umbrellas
Many housewives prepare umbrellas for the winter by drying. And then they use them to prepare first and second courses, gravy and sauces. In addition, mushroom powder is prepared from dried fruit bodies, which is used as a fragrant seasoning.
When collecting umbrellas in the forest, you should know how they differ from poisonous specimens. The difference is that when the cap breaks, a pleasant, nut-like smell is felt, and the ring on the leg moves freely, while in toadstools it is fixed. Only certain species of the genus can be eaten: white, maiden, konrada, variegated.
When open, a good umbrella has a hat diameter of about 40 cm and a height of 30 cm
How to prepare mushroom umbrellas for drying
Before drying the mushrooms umbrellas for the winter, they must be sorted out from debris, rotten and spoiled by animal specimens. Then, sticking needles and leaves of trees should be removed from the cap, cut into 2-4 parts. Clean young legs and remove old ones.
How to dry an umbrella
There are several ways to dry umbrellas, everyone can choose a more suitable and convenient one for themselves:
- In the dryer. Place the prepared fruit bodies in the bowl of an electrical appliance for drying vegetables and herbs, set the temperature and time, and wait until the end of the process.
- In the sun. Spread the umbrellas evenly on a board or baking sheet, cover with cooking paper, place in direct sunlight in a well-ventilated place. Dry for 7-10 days.
- In limbo. Put the mushroom slices on a string or wire, cover with gauze to protect from flies and dust, hang in a dry, ventilated room for a couple of weeks.
- In the oven. Arrange the prepared umbrellas on a baking sheet lined with baking paper or foil. Place for 3 hours in an oven preheated to a temperature of 50 °C. After the time has elapsed, turn off the cabinet, and leave the umbrellas in it until morning. The next day, turn the slices and dry for another 60 minutes, observing the same conditions.
The color of the finished mushrooms should remain light. The slices are not allowed to crack in the hands. Dried umbrella legs and broken specimens are ground in a coffee grinder or blender, and the resulting mushroom powder is used as a seasoning. Dried caps are used after pre-soaking.
Mushroom powder is often used as a condiment in recipes.
Terms and conditions of storage of dried umbrellas
In order for the dried product not to lose its useful and taste qualities, it is important to follow some rules. First, dried fruit bodies should be kept away from warm and humid places. Secondly, they are placed in a special container:
- ventilated cloth bags;
- hermetically sealed containers;
- vacuum or thick paper bags;
- glass jars, covered with paper or linen cloth, tightly tied with rope.
When stored properly, dried mushrooms remain tasty even the next year after harvesting.
Conclusion
It is worth drying umbrellas mushrooms for the reason that they are very valuable and useful. Even in dry form, they retain a sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins, which the body lacks so much in the autumn-winter period. Umbrellas clean blood vessels, have an antibacterial effect and lower cholesterol levels. And dishes with their addition have a great taste and rich aroma.
