Antler mushrooms. Appetizer and deer horn mushroom soup Reindeer horn soup

“Deer horns” are very unusual mushrooms at first glance, and that alone makes them attractive. The product got its name due to its bizarre shape. From a distance it may even seem that real sea corals grow in the thicket of the forest. But in fact, these are edible and very healthy mushrooms that can be prepared in a very original way at home.

This is interesting: Horntails are actively used in Chinese medicine to treat gastrointestinal diseases. It is also believed that this product has a beneficial effect on lung function, reduces the risk of developing cancer and stimulates the immune system.

You will definitely surprise your family when you serve salted “corals” on the table. If you are interested in the question of how to pickle “deer horns” mushrooms for the winter, know that it is best to use a young mushroom body, since overripe horns can taste bitter. The degree of ripeness of the fruit is determined by its color - the older it is, the more clearly the rich orange hue appears. It’s good if you get a light yellow product. This mushroom can be safely used for pickling.

Ingredients

Servings: – + 50

• mushrooms 5 kg
• salt 250 g

Per serving

Calories: 56 kcal

Proteins: 1.6 g

Fats: 4.3 g

Carbohydrates: 2.8 g

45 min. Video recipe Print

We carefully examine the mushroom body. It should be smooth, not wormy, and not damaged. We wash the slingshots, remove debris and clean out questionable areas. Coarsely chop the “corals”.

It is important to properly prepare the dishes for pickling: wash them and scald them with boiling water.

Place the first layer of mushrooms (6-8 cm thick) on the bottom of the container and sprinkle it with salt. Next, we repeat the procedure until we put all the “deer horns” in the barrel (or whatever container you are using). We take into account the proportion: for 1 kg of cut hornets we take 50 g of spice.

Place a piece of clean gauze on top, folded several times. We put a wooden board on it. Press down the mushrooms with pressure. Initially, we leave the “corals” to salt for 5-6 days at room temperature. After this time, brine should appear in the barrel.

The world of mushrooms is truly fascinating and unique. These organisms are unique in themselves and can surprise you with their shapes, complex life cycles, and taste.

In the forests you can sometimes find an unusual mushroom that looks like coral. People call it “deer horns”. Let's talk more about these mushrooms.

The correct botanical name is Ramaria flava. From Latin it is translated as Ramaria yellow. Belongs to the department Basidiomycetes, class Agaricomycetes, order Gomphaceae, family Rogataceae.

The habitat of this mushroom is the mixed, deciduous and coniferous forests of the Caucasus, the North-West of our country, as well as the forests of Central Europe.

People call deer antlers so because in shape they really resemble the branched antlers of a male deer. To many it resembles coral.

Sometimes in mushroom picker reference books you can find the following names:

The above-ground part of the ramaria grows approximately 15-20 cm in height. The fruiting body grows diametrically and reaches 20 cm in diameter. In the middle there is a dense hyphal plexus that forms a common stalk, and branched processes “horns” emerge from it. These “branches” are cylindrical in shape and branch dichotomously at their apex.

The color of the aboveground part of the fruiting body is yellow, and the palette of yellow can have different shades. This depends on the substrate on which the ramaria grows, as well as the intensity of sunlight in the undergrowth.

Closer to the bases of the horns, the color can be rich yellow. If you press on the fruiting body, a brownish color appears at the place of compression. When cut, the flesh is marble yellow. The smell is quite pleasant, reminiscent of the smell of freshly cut grass.

Ramaria has a low food grade. On the botanical scale of food categories - fourth. There is no particular pronounced mushroom taste. If the fruiting bodies are collected old, the tops must be removed, as they accumulate substances that give a certain bitterness.

Collection rules and precautions

Many horned mushrooms are poisonous. In this regard, you need to know yellow ramaria and be able to distinguish it from other “forest corals”. Collection and preparation are carried out in August and September. At this time, deer antlers can be found in the undergrowth as single fruits or small groups of 3-4 “bushes”.

Rules for collecting horned ones:

Important tip! If you are a novice mushroom picker, it is not recommended to collect horned mushrooms. Whether the horned mushroom is edible or not is difficult to determine. Some of them are so similar to each other that they can only be distinguished under a microscope. There is only one reassuring point - among these mushrooms there are no highly poisonous ones that lead to death.

How to properly cook mushrooms

The soup made from “reindeer horns” is especially tasty. To prepare it, you will need the standard ingredients of mushroom soup - a clove of garlic, onions, herbs, carrots, potatoes, butter, salt, pepper and 300-400 g of this wonderful mushroom.

Boil the mushrooms separately in salted water for 20 minutes. This broth must be drained and not used. It may contain toxins. You can boil it twice for 10 minutes. It will be even better that way.

Then the soup is cooked in the standard way. Throw onions, potatoes, garlic, carrots into cold water, bring to a boil, add mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes over low heat and add salt, pepper and herbs. This makes a very tasty light mushroom soup. Children will especially like it, since the mushrooms in the soup are unusual.

Ramaria can be salted, fried with potatoes, or added to salads. The main condition for cooking is to always simmer the mushrooms over low heat for 10-15 minutes in salted water. This helps get rid of toxins. This is especially important, because among the horned ones there are many moderately poisonous species. Primary thermal treatment allows you to destroy and reduce the concentration of toxic substances to a minimum.

Young deer antlers can be dried. Overripe fruiting bodies can rot when dried, but young ones dry out easily. To do this, they need to be divided into the maximum possible number of “branches” with part of the stem. A thread is threaded through the leg. Next, the mushroom garlands are hung in the shade in a dry and ventilated room.

When preparing dishes from dried ramaria, it must be soaked in water for 12 hours, and then rinsed thoroughly and boiled for 10 minutes.

Collect deer horns, prepare culinary masterpieces from them, but be careful and careful!

DEER HORNS (HABRE CABBAGE) - SUCH MUSHROOMS GROW IN THE CRIMEA Description of the appearance and characteristics of the mushroom Seeing such a mushroom in the forest, not everyone will dare to pick it. This is due to its very unusual appearance. But it is worth noting that deer horns are an edible mushroom, and you can prepare it in different ways.

Description of the appearance of reindeer horn mushrooms One glance is enough to understand why “forest bread” has such a strange name. The mushroom grows vertically, expanding in width due to numerous branched processes. from the outside, they surprisingly resemble deer antlers or sea coral. Due to this, the mushroom also has other popular names: coral hedgehog, horned mushroom or coral. The color also adds similarity: light yellow, light brown, beige, deep orange or even purple. Pigmentation depends on the place of growth, environmental characteristics and age.

It only takes a little effort to separate the tender pulp into several pieces. A fresh cut quickly begins to acquire a burgundy hue, so the horns should be collected as quickly as possible.

Places of growth, timing and characteristics of collection It is listed in the Red Book, so you can only find deer horns in some regions. These are Crimea, the Far East, Western and Eastern Siberia, and also Karelia and the Caucasus. Due to the characteristics of its growth, hedgehog is unpopular in the central part of Russia; most people do not even know about this type of “forest bread”.

But, despite its rarity, mushroom pickers often find places where the coral hedgehog forms large rows or voluminous rings. It prefers damp and dark places in deciduous or pine forests; this is where the most delicious specimens grow. It can also be seen on the stumps or roots of any trees, regardless of their species.

Corals or deer horns are collected in summer and autumn, and in the Caucasus and Crimea even in the winter months. You should choose small mushrooms of light colors. The older the cattail, the more inedible it is, as it acquires characteristic bitterness and hardness. You can judge the age by the shade of the mushroom: they show more orange pigment. It is rarely affected by worms, but the horns should be carefully inspected when harvesting to detect their presence.

About the edibility of deer horns It is interesting that because of these taste differences in adult individuals, some consider the mushroom to be poisonous, but this is not so. Properly prepared deer horns are quite unusual, but harmless and tasty. They belong to the fourth category of mushrooms (and inedible ones are not included in the classification at all). The fourth category is assigned to rarer mushrooms, which are inferior in taste to varieties from higher levels. They are preferred by gourmets or experienced mushroom pickers. But this does not mean that you should avoid the horns; you just need to better study the features of this mushroom.

Rogatik, or as they are also called horned mushrooms, belong to the family of basidiomycetes. They have a fruit body of fleshy consistency. They are coral-branched, club-shaped and awl-shaped. The most common color is white with a yellow tint. Completely covered with a spore-bearing smooth layer.

You can find such a crop in the forest on the soil; less often they are found on wood residue. They are not poisonous.

Rogatiki have a large variety and germinate in large quantities, we just sometimes don’t pay attention to them. Many mushroom pickers pass by. This may be correct, because unfamiliar plants can be poisonous, but some cattails are quite edible. Even if you pick such an unfamiliar mushroom, you will not get poisoned, the only thing is that you will ruin your dinner, since some types have a specific taste.

Rogatik is a very curious representative of the mushroom kingdom. It plays a big role in the life of the forest. It is also a close relative of chanterelle mushrooms, and as you know, chanterelles can improve human health.

A variety of horntails

This mushroom has a wide variety. Let's look at the most common of them and their descriptions.

Type of pistil. Can be found in deciduous forests in the southern regions. It has a fruiting club-shaped body. The height can reach 15 cm. The spores released are white. Does not have a specific smell. Completely edible.

Truncated is a prominent representative of basidiomycete plants. It has a club-shaped shape with an expanded and thickened apex. The height is no more than 14 cm. The mushroom itself is wrinkled and dark orange in color. In places of damage it immediately becomes dark. Odorless, sweetish taste.

Reed. Belongs to the genus clavariadelphus. Vertical tongue-like shape. Height no more than 13 cm. Has a smooth and dry surface. If you are already old, then the surface of the body begins to wrinkle. The color is soft cream, but with age it acquires a yellowish tint. The pulp is dry, white and without a characteristic odor. Produces light yellow spore powder.

Comb. The shape is coral-shaped. Grows up to 10 cm in height. The pulp is quite fragile and light. It has no specific odor, but has a bitter taste. Can be found in mixed, coniferous and deciduous forests. They germinate on soil and grass.

Fawn belongs to the crab family. It grows in the form of a bush with branched and pointed branches. The apex is lobate-flat. Rogatik is white with a creamy tint. Produces white spores. When cut, it is fragile, has no special smell and has a bitter aftertaste.

The yellow horned mushroom can be found in deciduous, coniferous or mixed forests. Mainly grows in the forests of Karelia. Body color is yellow. No more than 18 cm in height. Many branched, dense bush-like branches of a cylindrical shape grow from thick white stalks. The fruit body is yellowish in color. The pulp is moist, off-white in color. The smell is reminiscent of grass, the taste is dull. The older the plant, the more bitter the taste.

Edibility of mushrooms

Very often in the forests you can meet mushroom pickers who claim that they know everything about mushrooms. But what can they say about the slingshots? In order not to accidentally get poisoned and to know for sure whether this mushroom is edible or not, we have prepared a small cheat sheet.

Benefits of edible cattails

Very often they are called coral, since in appearance they are very similar to them. Compared to others, they have a number of advantages:

• when fully ripe, the weight is almost one kilogram, which easily allows you to feed all family members;
• are not affected by worms, so when cleaning you will not encounter unpleasant disappointment;
• have a fragrant smell (but not old ones);
• there are no poisonous imitators;
• easy to prepare.

Due to their specific appearance, you are unlikely to confuse them with other plants.

Use in cooking

Before cooking, you need to prepare them properly. Mushrooms should be washed thoroughly under cold running water. Since they have a tortuous structure, dirt penetrates into the most difficult places. Then boil them for 30 minutes. The water in which they were boiled is poured out. It should absolutely not be used. We rinse again under running water and set to cook for 10 minutes. Then rinse with cold water. Now you can start preparing various dishes.

A simple recipe for delicious mushroom soup. First, chop all the vegetables, namely, onions and (you can add half). Fill everything with cold water and cook until half cooked. Then add mushrooms and 15 g. . In winter, you can add a few cloves to the soup. As soon as the soup boils, add pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and cook for another 15 minutes. The peculiarity of this soup is that it can be eaten not only hot, but also cold. When serving, sprinkle and add a spoon.

For the second course, you can simply fry them in addition to the main dish, for example mashed potatoes or buckwheat porridge. First, fry the onion in vegetable oil, first chopping it finely. Add chopped mushrooms. It's better to cut them larger. And fry until golden brown, just remember that you need to stir them constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To make the dishes delicious, we will tell you a few little secrets. Firstly, they should be eaten no later than 4 days after harvest. Secondly, do not pickle them or can them. Otherwise they will become bitter and rubbery. Thirdly, do not season the mushrooms with too many seasonings, otherwise you will overwhelm their unique taste.

Precautionary measures

There are many plants that look like deer legs. Many of them are quite poisonous. Therefore, if you are new to this business, then ask an experienced mushroom picker to tell and show how to correctly collect and distinguish deer legs from other plants.

Remember that after harvesting, before cooking, you must rinse and process them well, because if not prepared correctly, they can have serious negative effects on your body.

Do not harvest near highways, as plants quickly absorb toxic substances.

Similar in appearance to deer antlers, it was not for nothing that the deer horn mushroom was so named. At the same time, it also resembles sea coral. It is not popular, and most people do not even realize that it is edible and very tasty. It is listed in the Red Book as a rare species and is considered the highest mushroom.

Places of growth and main characteristics

Most often, the deer horn mushroom can be found in the Far East, Karelia, Eurasia, Eastern and Western Siberia, North America and the Caucasus. It grows mainly in damp places of pine and deciduous forests among white moss and on rotten wood from June to October. In areas with warm climates, it is also harvested during the winter months. Found on roots and stumps. Grows in groups, forming arcs and rows.

Deer horns have several names:

• coral mushroom;
• horned;
• lattice-shaped hedgehog;
• Coral hedgehog.

Unable to determine, where it has a cap and where it has a leg, and therefore, when described, it is characterized as a body consisting of many fragile branched processes of light yellow, orange, light brown and purple. The branches grow up to 5-7 cm in height, while they reach 15-30 cm in width.

Only young specimens should be collected for food. It is advisable to cook freshly picked mushrooms. The tender flesh of horned mushrooms tastes like shrimp or champignons.

They can be used fried, dried and salted, and used as first and second courses. Fans of exotic dishes make caviar and filling for pies and dumplings from them. Potatoes fried with them are no worse than with other mushrooms. Rogatiki are marinated in a sauce that includes butter, salt, sugar, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar. But at the same time, doctors do not recommend consuming them in pickled and canned form.

Before cooking, deer antlers must be washed thoroughly, since due to their special structure they accumulate a lot of dirt on their body. After washing, cook for 15-30 minutes. Drain the broth and do not use it in food.

Cooking

Every mushroom picker is interested in how to cook deer horns. There aren't many recipes that use them as an ingredient. But the basic cooking methods are the same as with other mushrooms. Those lucky enough to find them can make some delicious dishes out of them.