Common chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius). Chanterelles, their description, inedible double and dishes from chanterelles Chanterelle mushroom category

Chanterelles are known all over the world. They are found in the forests of Europe, Asia, North America and even in the Himalayas. As a rule, they unite in clusters and grow near the base of trees. Cooks revere these mushrooms for their delicate taste and soft texture. It is believed that the mass consumption of chanterelles for food began in the 18th century in France, after chefs included dishes from it in the royal menu. Today, this mushroom is a welcome guest on the tables of gourmets in Europe, Asia, and America.

Description

Chanterelles are fleshy mushrooms with a pleasant aroma. With their unusual shape, they resemble a flower, or, as some mushroom pickers say, a golden flower, because they have a unique bright yellow color. It would seem that due to the unusual appearance, this mushroom cannot be confused with others. However, even seasoned lovers of "quiet hunting" can mistake her poisonous "double" for a fox. But more on that later.

Usually chanterelles are small mushrooms, but their size can vary on different continents. For example, in Europe and Asia, the average chanterelle barely exceeds the size of a thumb, but in the forests of the eastern United States, these mushrooms can already reach fist-sized parameters, and even more in the west of the country. True, gourmets say that European and Asian varieties are tastier and more aromatic.

In our latitudes, you can collect chanterelles from June to October. Most often found in coniferous forests (near pines, but there are also near birches, oaks), on sandy and acidic soils. The most abundant harvests can be expected immediately after the rains.

As a rule, these mushrooms grow in the same place for many years. But on one condition: during the harvesting process, the soil with mycelium was not damaged.

An interesting feature that even inexperienced mushroom pickers notice: chanterelles are almost never wormy. All this is due to chitinmannose contained in mushrooms. Another unique feature of mushrooms is that they can be collected in almost any container (even in a bag!), They still won’t break.

False chanterelles: how to recognize

A real chanterelle, or common chanterelle (as biologists call it), is easy to recognize by its irregularly shaped funnel-shaped hat with edges turned down. The stem of these mushrooms is the same color as the cap with which it grows together. It is thinner at the bottom and widens upward. Freshly cut chanterelles are sour in taste, smell like dried fruit, and when pressed on the pulp, a reddish mark remains.

But this fungus has poisonous counterparts. The first is a false fox. Outwardly, it is very similar to the real one. However, it is easy to calculate the liar by the habitat. A poisonous twin is never found on the ground, her favorite places are rotting wood or forest floor.

The second double is the olive omfalot. This is a deadly mushroom that grows exclusively in the subtropics on wood dust.

Not poisonous, but not the most useful - faceted and velvety chanterelles. Inexperienced mushroom pickers sometimes mistakenly collect these doubles. The velvety mushroom differs from the real one only in color, in the “fake” it is brighter. The faceted chanterelle is easy to recognize by the delicacy of the pulp - the mushroom crumbles into pieces at the slightest inaccurate touch. But it is distributed only in the forests of North America.

The nutritional value

These mushrooms are an excellent source of protein, and with it 8 essential, copper, potassium, zinc, selenium and many vitamins. They are rich in fiber and contain virtually no fat.

Useful Ingredients:

1. Vitamin B1 (thiamine). This important vitamin supports heart health and strengthens the nervous system.
2. Vitamin B6. Helps to strengthen the immune system, promotes proper metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, supports the health of the lymphatic system, and is also important for the regulation of glucose levels.
3. Cellulose. Stimulates digestion and peristalsis of the stomach, eliminates constipation, helps with indigestion.
4. Potassium. Essential mineral, essential for body fluid regulation, promotes protein synthesis, and is important for cardiovascular health. It is a prophylactic against stroke, controls blood pressure.
5. Zinc. The presence of zinc in the body depends on the proper functioning of the immune system, digestion, blood sugar concentration and metabolic processes.
6. Copper. A mineral important for proper growth, enzymatic reactions, maintains healthy connective tissue, and prevents arrhythmias.

Table of nutritional content in 100 g of raw product

calories	20-38 kcal
	1.5 g
	0.5 g
	6.9 g
	3.8 g
	89.8 g
	5.3 mcg
	0.02 mg
	0.2 mg
	4 mg
	1.08 mg
	0.04 mg
	15 mg
	0.4 mg
	3.4 mg
	13 mg
	57 mg
	506 mg
	2.2 mcg
	9 mg
	0.7 mg

Benefits for the body

Chanterelles, being a rich source of fiber, play an important role in burning excess fat, and also help prevent many chronic diseases, in particular heart disease.

The high-quality plant protein found in mushrooms can be a great alternative to meat, which is essential for vegetarians. After all, without a sufficient amount of proteins, the body will not be able to perform many vital functions, including rebuilding cells and maintaining the immune system.

In addition, chanterelles are among the foods with an extremely high concentration of nutrients that are important for the health of the nervous system, and also involved in the process of converting food into energy.

These brightly colored mushrooms are known to have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, in folk medicine, this product is often used to relieve pain from arthritis, sore throat, to treat boils and boils, as well as to prevent many chronic diseases.

Surprisingly, chanterelles are also a powerful immune system booster and are also credited with anti-cancer effects. By the way, scientists suggest that such a powerful effect on the immune system is achieved due to the presence of beta-glucan and selenium in chanterelles. These substances have a reputation as effective immunostimulants. For this reason, chanterelles are one of the best foods for people with HIV, as well as other diseases that weaken the immune system. These mushrooms help the body fight viral infections and strengthen the body during cold seasons.

Another amazing property of chanterelles is that they kill and prevent the growth of new cancer cells in the human body. This almost fantastic ability of chanterelles is determined, which are found in large quantities in mushrooms. It is worth saying that antioxidants effectively deactivate free radicals, which subsequently protects against any pathological changes in cells. In addition, antioxidants prevent premature aging.

Researchers, having studied the biochemical capabilities of chanterelles, called them antibiotic mushrooms. Also, these fungi slow down the reproduction of tubercle bacillus, thanks to trametonolinic acid, weaken the herpes virus, restore pancreatic cells, and remove radionuclides from the body.

Chanterelles for cleansing the body

The detox program will require only 5 chanterelles. Mushrooms are pre-dried and ground to a powder state. In this form, add to ready-made dishes. This "seasoning" has a slight burning taste, reminiscent of pepper. The course of treatment lasts at least 10 days.

Warning

Chanterelles, like most other forest mushrooms, are indigestible food. For this reason, nutritionists do not advise eating dishes from them before bedtime. Also, people with digestive disorders, liver diseases should not be overly carried away by chanterelles.

It is better to refuse this product to the elderly and children.

How to choose the right one when buying

When choosing chanterelles in a supermarket, it is important to pay attention to the pulp. It should be tight, without rotten areas and damage. Also, healthy mushrooms should not have a slimy layer or dark spots. The correct chanterelle is an agaric of golden or apricot color with a pleasant aroma. Store unopened package in the refrigerator for up to a week.

If you are not too well versed in mushrooms, you do not need to buy them on the market or “from hand”. In addition, it is important to remember that mushrooms easily absorb toxins and "chemistry" of any origin. Therefore, chanterelles from a contaminated area can be poisonous to the body.

What to do with chanterelles

Chanterelles are good boiled, stewed, fried. They go well with most dishes. They can be dried or frozen to extend their shelf life. So it will be possible to enjoy mushrooms all year round, and not just in season.

But no matter what method you choose for the subsequent cooking of mushrooms, it is important to clean them first. And this is perhaps the most laborious process. To do this, the product will have to be soaked in a large bowl with, after cutting out the damaged parts. Meanwhile, “foxes” should not be kept in water for a long time, because of this they will soften, lose their texture and taste. After rinsing each mushroom thoroughly, you can start cooking.

It's easiest to boil. But as a result of such processing, they will lose about 2/3 of their volume. In addition, during the cooking process, chanterelles, as a rule, lose not only their volume, but also their beautiful color. To prevent this from happening, a little should be added to the water. By the way, chanterelles cook quite quickly, but experienced chefs still advise keeping them on fire for at least 20 minutes.

The second easy way is to fry in butter. This is probably the most popular cooking method. Mushrooms can be fried without additional ingredients or with onions and. But in any case, salt the product at the very end of cooking, otherwise the mushrooms will become very tough. By the way, boiled or fried chanterelles are perfect as a filling for pies or pies.

In order to pickle the “golden flowers”, first they will have to be boiled a little (about 10 minutes). During this time, prepare a marinade from 350 ml of water, 150 ml of 9% vinegar, bay leaf, allspice and black pepper. Put boiled mushrooms in jars and pour boiling marinade. Cans with chanterelles should cool upside down.

Frozen chanterelles are the healthiest way to prepare a product, which allows you to save almost all the nutrients. In addition, almost until spring you will have fresh mushrooms. But it is important to remember that frozen mushrooms should not be stored for longer than 3 months.

Drying mushrooms is a fairly popular way of harvesting and a good alternative for those who want to enjoy this delicacy all year round. The only disadvantage of this method is that mushrooms lose their taste and some of the nutrients a little. But the secret of our grandmothers will help to improve the palatability of dried “foxes”: soak the mushrooms for an hour and a half in milk before cooking.

Once upon a time, during fasting, mushrooms completely replaced meat for our ancestors. Chanterelles have always been among the favorite mushrooms of the Slavs. After all, it is not only a nutritious product, rich in many useful elements, but also very malleable in processing. It is easy to clean and cook, and thanks to its bright appearance, it is almost impossible not to notice in the forest.

Chanterelles are forest mushrooms with a bright yellow, less often with a pale yellow color.

Hat size 3-10 cm, in the form of an inverted umbrella or funnel; the stem almost fuses with the hat. The main value of the chanterelle is that this mushroom is almost never wormy.

You can find chanterelles from early summer to late autumn. They especially love coniferous forests, birch and mixed: spruce-birch. Like many mushrooms, chanterelles grow in families or groups.

You should buy mushrooms only in organized outlets, in markets where the goods are being inspected.

If you picked mushrooms in the forest, remember that they can be stored for 18 to 24 hours at a temperature not exceeding +10°C.

Before cooking, wash the mushrooms, sort, discard the flabby and wormy ones.

Useful properties of chanterelles

Chanterelle contains a large amount of vitamin , , many amino acids and trace elements (copper and zinc), which helps to improve vision, cure "night blindness", and is also a prevention of many eye diseases. In addition, the substances contained in chanterelles improve the condition of the mucous membranes, especially the eyes, moisturize them, and make them resistant to infectious diseases. Substances contained in chanterelles are used in fungotherapy.

In Europe, extracts from chanterelles are used to treat liver diseases and hepatitis C. Also, chanterelles indirectly treat obesity (which appears from the lack of functionality of the liver), of course, subject to their proper dietary preparation.

Chanterelles remain untouched by worms and all kinds of insects due to the fact that the body of the fungus contains a special substance - chitinmannose, which destroys the egg capsules of various worms, including tapeworms, preventing them from developing in this way. Since ancient times, boils, abscesses and tonsillitis have been treated with infusion of chanterelles. In addition, chanterelles retard the growth of tuberculosis bacillus. Some pharmaceutical companies buy chanterelles, extract chitinmannose from them and use it in its pure form as part of medicines.

Fried chanterelles are the most delicious, especially since they are quite simple to cook. There are countless recipes for fried chanterelles, but they all boil down to finely or medium-sized mushrooms, evaporated water from them in a pan, add oil and mix with something tasty, for example, with

Among the many mushrooms, chanterelles are the most popular. These are edible mushrooms that range in color from pale yellow to orange. They have a rather unusual shape - the center of the cap is concave inward, the edges are wrapped, uneven.

The chanterelle leg is small, strong, the same color as the hat. It should also be noted that the lower part of the fungus is tightly fused with the upper. The mushroom itself is small - the diameter of the cap is from 2 to 10 cm.

Chanterelle species

Representatives of the Chanterelle family have about 60 species, most of them can be eaten. Here are the most common types of chanterelles:

Mushroom suitable for human consumption. The diameter of the cap is from 2 to 10 cm, the stem is up to 7 cm. The color is pale yellow or yellow. The lower surface of the cap is covered with folds. The skin is smooth, does not separate from the pulp of the chanterelle. This mushroom grows in coniferous and deciduous forests from summer to mid-autumn.

Edible mushroom. Small in size - the cap is up to 4 cm in diameter, the stem is 2–5 cm. The color of the mushroom ranges from pale red to red. The hat is shaped like a funnel. The favorite habitat of the cinnabar-red chanterelle is a deciduous forest, and especially an oak grove. These mushrooms are harvested from mid-June to early October.

Chanterelle velvety

An edible mushroom that can hardly be found at the edge of the forest. The color is the same as the common fox. The mushroom is fragrant, sour in taste. The velvety chanterelle usually grows in a deciduous forest from the middle of the summer period to the beginning of autumn.

Mushroom edible. The hat is up to 6 cm in diameter, the stem is up to 8 cm in height. Hat color is dark grey. The pulp of the gray chanterelle is elastic, pale gray in color. The gray chanterelle does not exude a pronounced smell and taste. Usually this type of chanterelle is found in mixed and deciduous forests from summer to mid-autumn.

Chanterelle faceted

Small edible mushroom (2–12 cm). The color of the cap is rich yellow or orange. The mushroom has a rather dense pulp with an expressive smell. Mushroom pickers collect faceted chanterelle in oak groves from July to mid-October.

Characteristic features of the common chanterelle

The common chanterelle is also called the real chanterelle or cockerel. It is the most common species in its genus. The mushroom is quite small: the diameter of the cap rarely exceeds 10 cm, the height of the stem is within 4–6 cm, and its thickness is 1–3 cm.

The cap of the chanterelle smoothly passes into the stem of the mushroom due to its funnel-shaped shape. Chanterelle skin is smooth to the touch and matte. It is difficult to separate it from the dense pulp. The lower surface of the cap is covered with folds that go down the stem. Chanterelle ordinary exudes a pleasant fruity aroma.

Also, a real chanterelle is different in that worms and insect larvae are not present in the pulp. After maturation, the fungus does not rot, but simply dries out. This is due to the peculiarities of the chemical composition of chanterelles.

Due to its color, the chanterelle often becomes the prey of the "silent hunt", as it is easy to spot and grows in large groups. Most often, the chanterelle grows in areas with high humidity, in mixed and coniferous forests, especially in well-lit areas in fallen leaves, moss or dried grass.

Collecting chanterelles begins in mid-July and ends in October. In large numbers, chanterelles grow after heavy rains. It is better to collect pale yellow chanterelles, since overripe mushrooms have a bright orange color, they should be avoided.

false chanterelles

The common chanterelle has many twins, among which there are conditionally edible and poisonous mushrooms. Most often, a real chanterelle is confused with a velvety chanterelle or faceted one, since at first glance their appearance is very similar to an ordinary chanterelle. But in a velvety chanterelle, the color is more saturated and tends to orange, and in a faceted chanterelle, the surface under the hat is smoother than that of an ordinary chanterelle, and the flesh is not elastic, but brittle.

Talker orange or false fox

It has a great resemblance to the common chanterelle due to its color. But these mushrooms belong to different families. Recently, the orange talker has been considered a conditionally edible mushroom, which requires thorough processing before eating. But the false chanterelle does not have pronounced taste qualities.

hedgehog yellow

Also, the twin of the common chanterelle is blackberry yellow. A distinctive feature of the twin mushroom is the small spines on the surface of the cap. Yellow blackberry is an edible mushroom, young mushrooms of this species can be used immediately for cooking, while more mature ones require additional processing to improve the taste.

Omphalote olive

The most dangerous double of the chanterelle can be called omfalot olive because it is poisonous. But in our area, it is almost never found.

So, in order for real chanterelles to get into the basket, you need to pay attention to:

1. mushroom color. In the common chanterelle, the color of the cap is pale yellow and uniform, while in false chanterelles it is from orange-yellow to red-brown.
2. Hat. In a real chanterelle, the edges of the cap are uneven, curved. Smooth edges are observed in twin mushrooms.
3. Leg. In an ordinary chanterelle, the legs are not hollow and very dense, in a false chanterelle, a hollow leg.
4. Smell. Chanterelle ordinary has a pleasant fruity aroma, false chanterelles do not have a pronounced smell.
5. Presence of worms or insect larvae. The common chanterelle differs from its false counterparts by the absence of any larvae and wormholes.

The composition and useful properties of chanterelles

The common chanterelle can be called the champion among mushrooms in terms of the content of vitamins and microelements in its pulp. Among the vitamins, vitamin A, B1, PP should be noted. The following components make the fox unique:

It should be said that the beneficial properties of chanterelles can only be obtained with proper processing of mushrooms. Otherwise, all medicinal substances will be destroyed.

Treatment with chanterelles

Based on the chemical composition, chanterelles are very useful helpers in the fight against:

• Infectious diseases. In folk medicine, chanterelles have long been used to treat tonsillitis, bronchitis, furunculosis.
• Tuberculosis. Thanks to the powerful active substances in the composition of chanterelles, the treatment is more effective and recovery is faster.
• Diseases of the liver and pancreas.
• Overweight.
• Worm infestations.

How to prepare and store chanterelles for medicinal purposes

But before using chanterelles for treatment, it is necessary to properly collect them and give them the necessary processing.

From the collected mushrooms with a dry brush, remove dirt and debris. The more carefully this is done, the longer their shelf life will be. Fresh chanterelles do not need to be wetted. After that, you can store chanterelles in the refrigerator for no more than 10 days.

The pulp of dried chanterelles can become "rubber", so they are usually ground into a powder that has a shelf life of about a year. The temperature during drying of mushrooms should not exceed 40°C.

Accordingly, for medicinal purposes, chanterelles are eaten fresh or in powder form. The powder is added to ready meals. Boiled and fried mushrooms will have much less nutrients.

Contraindications

Among the contraindications to the use of chanterelles are:

• Individual intolerance to chanterelles or mushrooms in general.
• Age up to three years.
• Pregnancy.
• breastfeeding period.

Caution should be taken with chanterelles for people suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, since mushrooms are hard to digest foods. It is also important to pay attention that the chanterelles were collected in an ecologically clean area and were not overripe.

Chanterelle recipes

Chanterelles are widely used in the preparation of various dishes, and therefore are a welcome find for any mushroom picker. In cooking, both fresh and dried mushrooms are used. Here are some recipes for making chanterelles.

Chanterelles in a rustic way

It will take:

• 500 g fresh chanterelles,
• 3 art. tablespoons chopped onion
• 100 g vegetable oil,
• ground black pepper, salt.

Cooking:

1. Boil prepared mushrooms in salted water and cut.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan.
3. Put the mushrooms into the pan along with the onion, salt and pepper.
4. Simmer over low heat for about an hour.
5. Sprinkle with chopped herbs before serving.

Salad with chicken and mushrooms

It will take:

• 150 g boiled chicken,
• 250 g boiled chanterelles,
• 30 g cheese
• 2 boiled eggs
• 1 pickled cucumber
• 1 onion
• 1 st. a spoonful of vegetable oil
• 4 tbsp. mayonnaise spoons,
• herbs, salt.

Cooking:

1. Chop the onion and fry in oil.
2. Cheese grate on a coarse grater.
3. Chop the eggs.
4. Mushrooms, chicken and cucumber cut into strips.
5. Combine the prepared ingredients, salt, add mayonnaise and mix.

mushroom gravy

It will take:

• 150 g dried chanterelles,
• 100 g flour
• 100 g butter,
• 200 g sour cream
• salt, black ground pepper.

Cooking:

1. Soak the mushrooms, boil and chop.
2. Strain the broth.
3. Pass the flour in butter, then gradually pour in the broth, salt, pepper, sour cream, mushrooms and boil.

Thus, the chanterelle is a very useful mushroom with a unique composition. It is used not only as an ingredient for various dishes, but also as a medicine. It is important to distinguish the common fox from its dangerous counterparts. You should also pay attention to contraindications for eating chanterelles. Subject to all the rules of collection and preparation, dishes from chanterelles will delight you with excellent taste.

Sin .: cockerel, real chanterelle, tubular cantarell, tubular lobe, funnel chanterelle.

The common chanterelle, or the real chanterelle (lat. Cantharellus cibarius) is a species of mushroom from the genus Chanterelle (lat. Cantharellus) and the Chanterelle family (lat. Cantharellaceae). It is a well-known edible mushroom all over the world. It is highly valued for its properties, and is also suitable for use in any form. In addition, chanterelles are valuable mushrooms in terms of medicinal use, thanks to the polysaccharides they contain.

Ask the experts

In medicine

In European medical practice, chanterelles for hepatitis are an almost indispensable remedy. Ergosterol and trametonolinic acid, which are part of these mushrooms, are able to cleanse the liver, restoring its functions. That is why European medicine uses chanterelle extract to treat various diseases, including hepatitis C.

In Eastern medical practice, it is believed that treatment with chanterelles improves vision, prevents the development of inflammatory processes in the eyes, reduces dryness of the mucous membranes, and also increases the body's resistance to infectious diseases. The beneficial properties of chanterelles for the eyes from the point of view of oriental medicine are priceless.

Contraindications and side effects

Contraindications to treatment with chanterelles are pregnancy, lactation, individual intolerance to the components of the mushrooms. Children treatment with these mushrooms is strictly prohibited.

In the food industry

Chanterelles, whose beneficial properties can hardly be overestimated, have proven themselves as edible and satisfying mushrooms. They are used for consumption in any form - fried, pickled, salted, boiled. By the way, during the cooking of chanterelles, the sour taste of raw pulp disappears.

Classification

Common chanterelle (lat. Cantharellus cibarius) is a species of mushroom from the genus Chanterelle (lat. Cantharellus) and the Chanterelle family (lat. Cantharellaceae).

Botanical description

The fruiting body of the common chanterelle is similar in shape to hat-and-leg mushrooms, however, both the hat and the stem are a single whole, i.e. without any pronounced boundaries. The color of the fungus can vary from light yellow to yellow-orange. A hat with a diameter of 2 to 12 cm often has wavy edges and an irregular shape: it is concave-prostrate, convex, depressed, flat, has wrapped edges, depressed in the center. In mature chanterelles, the hat may be funnel-shaped.

The pulp of ordinary chanterelles is densely fleshy, and in the leg it is fibrous. It has a yellow color along the edges of its fruiting body, and whitish in the middle. The taste of such pulp is sour, and the smell is weak, reminiscent of the aroma of roots or dried fruits. When pressing on the mushroom with your fingers, its flesh acquires a slightly reddish tint. The leg of the chanterelle, as noted above, is completely fused with the hat and has the same color (or lighter) with it. It is solid, smooth, dense, tapering towards the bottom. It has a length of 5 to 8 cm and a thickness of 1 to 3 cm.

The hymenophore in chanterelles is folded, since it consists of wavy, branched folds, strongly descending along the stem. It can also be coarse-meshed and veiny. The veins of these mushrooms are rare, but thick. They are low, similar to folds, running far down the leg. The spore powder of the common chanterelle has a light yellow color, and the spores themselves are ellipsoidal.

Spreading

The common chanterelle is ubiquitous in coniferous and mixed forests of temperate climate. Prefers soils with damp moss, grass or forest litter. The fungus forms the so-called mycorrhiza with various trees: oak, pine, spruce, beech. Chanterelles grow in the form of fruiting bodies located in groups (often very numerous). Often these mushrooms can be found in forests in the summer after heavy thunderstorms. The period of distribution of chanterelles is the beginning of June, and then August-October.

Distribution regions on the map of Russia.

Procurement of raw materials

As a rule, dry chanterelle powder is considered a medicinal raw material. It is for this purpose that the collection and preparation of mushrooms is carried out. The process begins in June and ends in late autumn. It is more expedient to collect chanterelles in the morning. In the process of harvesting, they are cut with a knife at the base of the stem, and are not uprooted.

Mushrooms should be placed in low baskets in order to exclude the possibility of their breakage. The collected chanterelles are cleaned of dirt with a soft brush under running water, then dried. It is most expedient to dry them in the sun, but you can also use heating radiators (at home). The drying temperature should not exceed 40-50°C. Dried mushrooms are ground into powder, which can be stored at room temperature for no more than 1 year.

Chemical composition

Chanterelle is rich in dietary fiber (23.3%), beta-carotene (17%), vitamin A (15.8%), vitamin B 2 (19.4%), vitamin C (37.8%), vitamin PP (25%), potassium (18%), copper (29%), manganese (20.5%), cobalt (40%).

It should be noted that vitamin A in these mushrooms is many times more than in the same carrots, and there are more vitamins of group B than, for example, in yeast. The common chanterelle, grown in its natural habitats, is one of the best plant sources of vitamin D 2 (ergocalciferol). In addition, mushrooms contain 8 essential amino acids.

Pharmacological properties

The medicinal properties of chanterelles are due to the presence of medicinal substances in their chemical composition. Chanterelles, whose medicinal properties are truly unique, are the most valuable mushrooms from the point of view of pharmacology, since they contain such polysaccharides as chitinmannose, ergosterol, trametonolinic acid.

The polysaccharide ergosterol has a positive effect on liver enzymes, which makes chanterelles useful in hepatitis, fatty degeneration of the liver and hemangiomas. Moreover, these mushrooms are the strongest antioxidant that suppresses free radicals and prevents premature aging of the human body.

Application in traditional medicine

Chanterelles in folk medicine are an invaluable find. These mushrooms have an immunostimulating and antitumor effect, helping with inflammatory diseases. For this, traditional healers practice treatment with tincture of chanterelles, and also healers, like some medical practitioners, use dry powder from chanterelles.

According to traditional healers, chanterelles are no less useful for obesity. It is believed that these mushrooms normalize digestion, being an excellent tool for weight loss. It is worth noting that no data on the use of chanterelles by healers and healers have been confirmed and have not passed the appropriate clinical trials.

History reference

Unfortunately, all the useful substances that are in the composition of the common chanterelle are destroyed during heat treatment, as well as when salt is added to the mushrooms. That is why there are simply no medicinal properties in pickled or fried chanterelles.

Like many edible mushrooms, chanterelles have their own "twins", a meeting with which is highly undesirable. In order not to be poisoned by poisonous mushrooms, you should know the differences between a false chanterelle and an ordinary one. Edible mushrooms include the velvety chanterelle, which has a bright orange color and is common in Europe and Asia, as well as the faceted chanterelle, in which the hymenophore is less developed and the flesh is more brittle. This mushroom is common in Africa, North America, the Himalayas and Malaysia. The so-called yellow blackberry also belongs to edible chanterelles. Its hymenophore looks like papillae (or small spines), but not at all like plates.

Inedible chanterelles include two types of poisonous mushrooms. The first type is the notorious false chanterelle, which has thin flesh and frequent plates. This mushroom does not grow on the soil, but on the forest floor or rotting wood. This "toadstool" can be found everywhere in the entire Northern Hemisphere of the Earth. The second type is olive omfalot. This is a poisonous mushroom, widespread in the subtropics. It lives on dying deciduous trees, in particular, on oaks and olives.

Literature

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Chanterelles ( Cantharellus) - mushrooms that belong to the department of basidiomycetes, class agaricomycetes, order cantarellaceae, family chanterelles, genus chanterelles. These mushrooms are difficult to confuse with others, as they have an extremely memorable appearance.

Chanterelles (mushrooms): description and photo

The body of the chanterelles is shaped like the body of the hat mushrooms, but the cap and leg of the chanterelles are one whole, without visible borders, even the color is approximately the same: from pale yellow to orange. The cap of the chanterelle mushroom is from 5 to 12 centimeters in diameter, irregular in shape, flat, with wrapped, open wavy edges, concave or depressed inward, in some mature individuals it is funnel-shaped. In the people, such a hat is called "in the form of an inverted umbrella." To the touch, the cap of the chanterelle is smooth, with a hard-to-remove skin.

The pulp of chanterelles is fleshy and dense, fibrous in the leg area, white or yellowish in color, has a sour taste and a slight smell of dried fruits. When pressed, the surface of the fungus becomes reddish.

The chanterelle leg is most often the same color as the surface of the cap, sometimes somewhat lighter, has a dense, smooth structure, uniform in shape, slightly narrowed towards the bottom, 1-3 centimeters thick, 4-7 centimeters long.

The surface of the hymenophore is folded, pseudoplastic. Represented by wavy folds falling down the leg. In some species of chanterelles, it can be veiny. The spore powder is yellow in color, the spores themselves are ellipsoidal, 8 * 5 microns in size.

Where, when and in what forests do chanterelles grow?

Chanterelles grow from early June to mid-October, predominantly in coniferous or mixed forests, near spruces, pines or oaks. They are more common in damp areas, in temperate forests among grass, in moss, or in a pile of fallen leaves. Chanterelles often grow in numerous groups, appear en masse after thunderstorms.

Chanterelle species, names, descriptions and photos

There are over 60 types of chanterelles, many of which are edible. Poisonous chanterelles do not exist, although there are inedible species in the genus, for example, a false chanterelle. Also, this mushroom has poisonous counterparts - for example, mushrooms of the genus Omphalote. Below are some varieties of chanterelles:

• Chanterelle ordinary (true chanterelle, cockerel) ( Canthar ellusciba rius)

The common chanterelle grows in deciduous and coniferous forests in June, and then from August to October.

• Chanterelle gray ( Cantharellus cinereus)

Edible mushroom gray or brown-black. The hat has a diameter of 1-6 cm, the height of the stem is 3-8 cm, the thickness of the stem is 4-15 mm. The leg is hollow inside. The cap has wavy edges and a depression in the center, the edges of the cap have an ash-gray tint. The pulp is elastic, gray or brownish. The hymenophore is folded. The taste of the mushroom is inexpressive, without aroma.

The gray fox grows in mixed and deciduous forests from late July to October. This mushroom can be found on the territory of the European part of Russia, Ukraine, America and Western Europe. The gray fox is known to few, so mushroom pickers avoid it.

• Chanterelle cinnabar red ( Cantharellus cinnabarinus)

An edible mushroom that is reddish or pinkish red in color. The cap diameter is 1-4 cm, the height of the stem is 2-4 cm, the flesh is fleshy with fibers. The edges of the cap are uneven, curved, the cap itself is concave towards the center. The hymenophore is folded. Thick pseudoplates are pink. Spore powder is pink-cream.

The cinnabar chanterelle grows in deciduous forests, predominantly oak groves, in eastern North America. The mushroom picking season is summer and autumn.

• Chanterelle velvety ( Cantharellus friesii)

An edible but rare mushroom with an orange-yellow or reddish cap. The color of the legs is from light yellow to light orange. The cap diameter is 4-5 cm, the height of the stem is 2-4 cm, the diameter of the stem is 1 cm. The cap of a young mushroom has a convex shape, which turns into a funnel-shaped one with age. The flesh of the cap is light orange when cut, whitish-yellowish in the stem. The smell of the mushroom is pleasant, the taste is sour.

The velvety chanterelle grows in the countries of southern and eastern Europe, in deciduous forests on acidic soils. Harvesting season is from July to October.

• Chanterelle faceted ( Cantharellus lateritius)

Edible orange-yellow mushroom. The fruiting body has dimensions from 2 to 10 cm. The cap and stem are combined. The shape of the cap is carved with a wavy edge. The pulp of the mushroom is thick and dense, has a pleasant taste and aroma. The diameter of the stem is 1-2.5 cm. The hymenophore is smooth or with small folds. The spore powder has a yellow-orange color, like the fungus itself.

The faceted chanterelle grows in oak groves in North America, Africa, the Himalayas, Malaysia, singly or in groups. You can collect chanterelle mushrooms in summer and autumn.

• Chanterelle yellowing (Cantharellus lutescens)

Edible mushroom. The diameter of the cap is from 1 to 6 cm, the length of the leg is 2-5 cm, the thickness of the leg is up to 1.5 cm. The cap and the leg are a single whole, like in other types of chanterelles. The upper part of the cap is yellow-brown, with brown scales. The stem is yellow-orange. The pulp of the mushroom is beige or light orange, has no taste and smell. The spore-bearing surface is most often smooth, rarely wrinkled, and has a beige or yellow-brown tint. Spore powder is beige-orange.

The yellowing chanterelle grows in coniferous forests, on moist soils, bears fruit until the end of summer.

• Chanterelle tubular (funnel chanterelle, tubular cantarell, tubular lobe) ( Cantharellus tubaeformis)

An edible mushroom with a cap diameter of 2-6 cm, a stem height of 3-8 cm, a stem diameter of 0.3-0.8 cm. The cap of a chanterelle has the shape of a funnel with jagged edges. The color of the cap is grayish-yellow. It has dark velvety scales. The tubular leg is yellow or dull yellow. The flesh is firm and white, with a slight bitter taste and a pleasant smell of earth. The hymenophore is yellowish or bluish-gray in color, consists of rare brittle veins. Beige spore powder.

Trumpet chanterelles grow mainly in coniferous forests, sometimes found in deciduous forests in Europe and North America.

• Chanterelle Cantharellus minor

An edible mushroom similar to the common chanterelle, but smaller in size. The diameter of the cap is 0.5-3 cm, the length of the stem is 1.5-6 cm, the thickness of the stem is 0.3-1 cm. The cap of a young mushroom is flat or convex, in a mature mushroom it becomes vase-like. The color of the cap is yellow or orange-yellow. The edge of the cap is wavy. The flesh is yellow, brittle, soft, with a barely perceptible aroma. The hymenophore has the color of a cap. The color of the stem is lighter than that of the cap. The stem is hollow, tapering towards the base. The spore powder is white or yellowish in color.

These mushrooms grow in deciduous forests (most often oak) in eastern North America.

• Chanterelle Cantharellus subalbidus

An edible mushroom that is whitish or beige in color. Turns orange when touched. Wet mushroom takes on a light brown hue. The cap diameter is 5-14 cm, the height of the stem is 2-4 cm, the thickness of the stem is 1-3 cm. The cap of a young mushroom is flat with a wavy edge, becoming funnel-shaped as the mushroom grows. Velvet scales are located on the skin of the cap. The pulp of the mushroom has no aroma and taste. The hymenophore has narrow folds. The leg is fleshy, white, uneven or smooth. Spore powder is white.

Cantharellus subalbidus grows in the northwestern part of North America, found in coniferous forests.

False chanterelles: description and photo. How are they different from edibles?

There are 2 types of mushrooms with which you can confuse an ordinary chanterelle:

1. Orange talker (inedible mushroom)
2. Omphaloth olive (poisonous mushroom)

The main differences between an edible chanterelle and a false one:

1. The color of an ordinary edible chanterelle is monophonic: light yellow or light orange. False chanterelle usually has brighter or lighter colors: copper red, bright orange, yellowish white, ocher beige, reddish brown. The middle of the cap of the false chanterelle may differ in color from the edges of the cap. On the hat of the false chanterelle, spots of various shapes can be observed.
2. The edges of the cap of a real chanterelle are always torn. The false mushroom often has smooth edges.
3. The leg of a real chanterelle is thick, the leg of a false chanterelle is thin. In addition, in an edible chanterelle, the hat and leg are a single whole. And in a false chanterelle, the leg is separated from the hat.
4. Edible chanterelles always grow in groups. False chanterelle can grow singly.
5. The smell of an edible mushroom is pleasant, unlike an inedible one.
6. When pressed, the pulp of the edible chanterelle turns red, the color of the false chanterelle does not change.
7. Real chanterelles are not wormy, which cannot be said about their poisonous counterparts.

False fox or orange talker

Calorie content of chanterelles

The calorie content of chanterelles per 100 g is 19 kcal.

How and how long can fresh chanterelles be stored?

Mushrooms should be stored at a temperature not exceeding +10°C. Freshly harvested chanterelles cannot be kept for more than a day, even in the refrigerator. It is best to start processing them immediately.

How to clean chanterelles?

Mushrooms must be cleaned of debris and damaged mushrooms should be separated from whole ones. Forest debris is removed with a hard brush or soft cloth (sponge). Dirt does not stick to the surface of the chanterelles so strongly that it needs to be cleaned off with a knife. The rotten, softened and damaged parts of the fungus are cut off with a knife. Rubbish is removed from the plates with a brush. This is especially important for subsequent drying.

After cleaning, the chanterelles should be washed well, paying special attention to the cap plates. Usually they are washed in several waters. If a bitter taste is suspected, the mushrooms are soaked for 30-60 minutes.

Why are chanterelles bitter and how to remove bitterness?

There is a natural bitterness in chanterelles, for which they are especially appreciated in cooking and because of which various insects and pests do not like them. Bitterness increases if the mushrooms are not processed immediately after harvest, as well as under the influence of the natural factors listed below. Chanterelles collected can have a bitter taste:

• in hot dry weather;
• under coniferous trees;
• in moss;
• next to busy highways and environmentally dirty industrial enterprises;
• overgrown mushrooms;
• false foxes.

It is best to collect and cook young mushrooms with unopened caps. The probability of bitterness in them will be low.

So that the chanterelles do not get bitter, they can be soaked for 30-60 minutes, and then boiled, draining the water after cooking. By the way, you can boil not only in water, but also in milk.

It is better to freeze boiled mushrooms: firstly, it turns out to be more compact, and secondly, when boiled, they will not taste bitter. If you have frozen fresh chanterelles, and after defrosting you find that they are bitter, try the following:

• boil the mushrooms in boiling salted water. You can add a couple of pinches of citric acid. The bitterness will turn into water, which you then drain.

How to cook and store chanterelles. Cooking methods

In Russia, the chanterelle genus is represented by 4 species. All of them are edible and tasty mushrooms that have long been used in cooking.

• From the point of view of blanks, the most interesting is common chanterelle, or real. It is eaten boiled, fried, pickled, pickled and salted.
• Chanterelle gray- a very tasty, albeit unsightly-looking mushroom. It goes for making sauces, soups, good in dried form. Both fresh and dried gray chanterelles are used as an additive to various dishes.
• Chanterelle yellowing good both in different dishes and in preparations for the winter. It is canned, pickled, dried. Powdered dry chanterelles make amazing soups and sauces.
• Chanterelle velvety- a very rare mushroom, it is better not to pick it so that it does not completely disappear from nature.

Chanterelles can:

• cook

Cut large chanterelles into slices and cook after boiling over reduced heat for 15-20 minutes. You can boil not only in enamelware, but also in a slow cooker or microwave. If you eat mushrooms immediately after cooking, then the water must be salted. In this case, the broth can be used to prepare various dishes. If after boiling you will fry chanterelles, then it is wiser to leave the water unsalted so that mineral salts do not come out of the mushrooms. In this case, you do not need to cook them for more than 4-5 minutes. First, rinse the dried chanterelles several times in warm water, and then soak in cold water for 2-4 hours. After that, put them to boil in the same water. Let them boil for 40-60 minutes.

• fry

It is not necessary to boil the chanterelles before frying. But if you want the mushrooms to definitely not be bitter, it is better to boil them, draining the water after cooking.

Before frying, mushrooms need to be cut: the cap into equal slices, the leg into circles. Since mushrooms contain 90% water, and at a temperature of 60-70 ° liquid leaves the fruiting bodies, they begin to fry only after this juice has evaporated. In a frying pan, fry the finely chopped onion in oil, then put the chanterelles and fry until the released moisture has evaporated. Then salt, if desired, add sour cream and simmer until cooked for 15-20 minutes. Chanterelles can also be baked and stewed.

• salt

In different sources, salting chanterelles is treated differently. Some say that these forest dwellers are good in any form, except for salty ones. Others give different salting recipes and argue that salted chanterelles have a right to exist. They say that chanterelles prepared in this way are somewhat harsh and inexpressive in taste.

Chanterelles are salted in a cold and hot way. For cold pickling, mushrooms are washed and soaked for a day in water with salt and citric acid (per liter of water: 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 grams of citric acid). You don't need to boil them. Dried chanterelles after soaking are laid out in prepared dishes: enameled, wooden or glass. First, the bottom of the container is sprinkled with salt, after which the mushrooms are laid out with hats down in layers of 6 cm, sprinkling each of them with salt (50 g of salt per kilogram of chanterelles), dill, chopped garlic, currant leaf, horseradish, cherry, cumin. Mushrooms are covered from above with a light cloth, the dishes are covered with a lid that freely enters into it and pressed down with oppression. 1-2 days kept warm for fermentation, then taken out in the cold. You can eat chanterelles after 1.5 months from the moment of salting.

• marinate

Marinated chanterelles with subsequent pasteurization. Before harvesting, the fruiting bodies of common chanterelles must be thoroughly cleaned and washed. Cut large mushrooms into 4 pieces, leave small ones whole. For 15 minutes they are boiled in salt water with citric acid. Hot chanterelles are laid out in prepared jars and poured with marinade so that 2 cm is left to the edge of the jar. On top, you can add onion rings, laurel leaves, pieces of horseradish root. Covered jars are pasteurized for 2 minutes - this is the optimal time for preserving B vitamins in mushrooms. Pickled chanterelles should be stored at a temperature of 0 to 15 ° in a dry cellar.

Marinated chanterelles without pasteurization. First, the mushrooms are boiled in salt water for about 15 minutes. Then prepare the marinade - boil water with the addition of salt and vinegar. Mushrooms are placed in a boiling marinade and boiled for 20 minutes. 3 minutes before the end of cooking add spices and sugar. Chanterelles are laid out in sterilized jars, poured with the marinade in which they were boiled, and rolled up.

• sour

Washed chanterelles are cut into equal slices. Water is poured into the pan, put (for 1 kg of chanterelles) 1 tablespoon of salt, 3 g of citric acid. Bring to a boil and then add the mushrooms, cook for 20 minutes. At the same time, they are stirred and the resulting foam is removed. Then the mushrooms are thrown into a colander, washed with cold water and dried. Bring the filling to a boil, but do not boil: take 5 tablespoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar per liter of water. Cool the solution to 40°C. Add whey skimmed sour milk (20 g per 1 liter of solution). Three-liter jars are filled with mushrooms, poured with prepared liquid. Keep warm for three days, and then take out to the cold.

• dry

Healthy, unwashed, but well-peeled mushrooms are cut into slices 3-5 mm thick along the fruiting body. Sliced ​​chanterelles are placed on a drying board or in a special dryer so that they do not touch each other. Chanterelles can be dried in well-ventilated rooms, outdoors (in the shade or in the sun), in a dryer, in an oven, in an oven.

First, the mushrooms are dried at a low temperature (60-65 °) so that the juice does not flow out of them, and then at a higher temperature. When drying mushrooms in the sun, it is important to ensure that dew and rain do not get on them. Chanterelles are considered well dried if the mushroom slices crumble finely between the fingers. Store dried chanterelles in tin, glass or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids.

How to freeze chanterelles for the winter?

Before freezing, the mushrooms must be thoroughly washed and dried well, laid out on a cloth. You can freeze fresh, boiled, baked and fried chanterelles. Fresh (raw) mushrooms may taste bitter after defrosting. Therefore, before freezing, it is better to boil them in water or milk, fry in solid butter or bake in the oven.

Prepared and dried mushrooms can be put into freezer bags, food containers made of polymers, metal or glass, in the latter case filling the containers by 90%. Close tightly so that the products do not come into contact with air. Store in a freezer at -18°C for one year.

You need to defrost mushrooms on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator at a temperature of + 4 ° C. To defrost, do not heat them or pour boiling water over them. In addition, thawed mushrooms cannot be re-frozen. If they accidentally thawed due to a breakdown in the refrigerator, and you want to freeze them again, then this can be done by pre-boiling or frying the mushrooms.

• The chinomannose contained in chanterelles helps to cope with helminths that have infected a person. However, this polysaccharide is destroyed during heat treatment already at 50 ° C, and salt kills it during salting. Therefore, herbalists advise using an alcohol infusion of chanterelles for treatment.
• The pharmacy sells the drug "Fungo-Shi - chanterelles", intended for the treatment of helminthiasis. Chanterelle medicine was developed by Russian scientists and tested in Russia and abroad.
• The antibiotic contained in the composition of chanterelles blocks the development of tuberculosis bacillus.
• Chanterelles often grow in the form of "witch rings". In ancient times, European peoples mystified such phenomena. They attributed the appearance of the rings to the covens of witches, the tricks of the elves. Now scientists explain this by the fact that a spore that has fallen to the ground forms a mycelium, which grows evenly in all directions, forming an even circle. And the middle part of the mycelium gradually dies off.
• The name "chanterelle" did not come from the word fox. The name of mushrooms comes from the Old Russian adjective "fox" - yellow. Both the animal and the mushroom are named for their color.
• Although there are vitamins in mushrooms, they are completely destroyed during cooking. The exception is pickled mushrooms rich in vitamin C.
• If a pine or birch grows near the house, then you can try to grow your chanterelles under them. Mash mushroom caps, put them, without burying them, on the surface of the soil near the tree, water and mulch on top with pine needles or birch leaves.
• Chanterelles contain the highest amount of fat in comparison with other mushrooms - 2.4%. Fats in mushrooms are concentrated mainly in the spore-bearing layer, in chanterelles - in the plates.