When heading into the forest to pick mushrooms, an important rule is to always pick only those mushrooms you're confident in. This is why chicken mushrooms (also known as ringed caps and rosettes) often go untouched, to the delight of experienced mushroom pickers. Among those who enjoy the "silent hunt," few know about this amazingly tasty and healthy gift of the forest.
Characteristic features of the variety
Despite its widespread distribution, ringed caps are unfairly overlooked. This is due to the caution of mushroom pickers, who confuse the edible rosette with its poisonous lookalikes.
Chicken mushrooms do resemble death caps with their skirts, as shown in the photo, but by studying the description and differences, you can easily recognize this edible forest delicacy.
Appearance and structure
The cap's appearance changes as it grows. Initially, it is hemispherical with slightly curled margins that are attached to the stem. The cap's diameter is up to 4 cm. As it grows, the margins diverge and break the veil, leaving a ring with a skirt on the stem. The cap grows to 10 cm in diameter and takes the shape of a wide cap with a bulge in the center.
The cap is brownish-pink. In dry weather, the edges of the cap dry out and crack slightly. On the inside are white-yellow spore plates, which acquire a rusty hue as the spore powder matures. The outer side of the cap is dissected with thin creases covered with a light dusting. At the edge, the pollen forms scales that resemble those of the fly agaric, confusing inexperienced mushroom pickers.
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The pale yellow stem is cylindrical. The texture up to the ring is silkier and brighter, and above the ring it is scaly and pale. The flesh is firm with a pleasant mushroom aroma. The color does not change when cut.
Place of distribution
The species is common in Europe, Asia, Japan, and the United States. In Belarus, these chickens can be found everywhere. They grow throughout the country and are popular.
Their preferred soil is moist and acidic, where mixed and coniferous forests, as well as lingonberry and blueberry bushes, are common. They can be found both in the mountains and on the outskirts of swamps, which is why they have another name: marsh hens.
Taste qualities and collection rules
This delicious edible mushroom, whose flesh resembles boiled chicken breast, is eaten fried, stewed, pickled, and salted. It's best to hunt from July to October-November. If you stumble upon the mycelium of chickens, you can collect a bucketful without leaving the spot, as they grow in vast, circular patches.
Since the marsh mushroom can be confused with its poisonous twins, when going for this species for the first time, it's a good idea to take someone knowledgeable about them with you, or a picture of the edible and dangerous species. It's also important to follow the cardinal rule of mushroom picking: if you're not sure, don't pick it.
Avoid old, wormy, or rotten mushrooms. If you already have these in your basket, don't throw them away or trample them. Simply pin the fruiting body to a branch, and when it ripens, it will shed its spores and increase the yield.
How to distinguish from false, inedible ones
The ringed cap mushroom has two unsettling lookalikes that an inexperienced mushroom picker might confuse it with: the fly agaric and the death cap. You can distinguish it from the fly agaric by the following characteristics:
- the scales on the fly agaric cap extend over the entire surface, while on the cap they are only along the edge;
- the smell of the flesh of an inedible mushroom is unpleasant, while that of an edible mushroom is mushroom-like;
- The fly agaric's gills are free, while the cap's gills are fused to the stem;
- The fly agaric has a vulva at the base, while the chicken does not.
When comparing with the death cap, pay attention to the following signs:
- Edible mushrooms do not have a sac-like formation at the base of the stem;
- The toadstool has fused gills, but the cap does not.
Death caps often grow among caps, so when you find a rich clearing, you need to inspect each fruiting body that is placed in the basket.
Rules for eating
The texture of the chicken flesh resembles chicken breast fibers. Although the mushroom is classified as a fourth-grade mushroom in terms of flavor, connoisseurs consider it a delicacy.
Useful properties and restrictions on use
Like many edible mushrooms, caps have medicinal properties in moderate doses, but they also have a number of contraindications. These beneficial properties include:
- lowering cholesterol and sugar levels;
- prevention of arrhythmia;
- prevention of infectious diseases and oncology;
- normalization of blood pressure;
- Mushroom brine is a folk remedy for hangovers.
Among the contraindications, the following can be highlighted:
- chronic pancreatitis;
- dysbacteriosis;
- age up to 6 years (do not use at all), from 6 to 14 years old - very carefully due to the immature enzymatic system;
- mono-diets using mushrooms;
- allergic reactions, both to mushrooms and during the period of activity of any other allergy;
- chronic diseases (reduce to consumption once every two weeks).
Processing
Since hen's cap mushrooms are edible, boiling them is not necessary if you plan to prepare them another way. Simply clean them thoroughly to remove any forest debris, trim off any remaining mycelium, cut out any wormy spots, rinse thoroughly under running water, and dry slightly. The stems of older hen's caps are not eaten because they harden, and the spore-bearing apparatus on the inside of the cap is cut off, as the spores are indigestible.
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As already mentioned, boiling the caps is not necessary, but if the collection site was close to a city or polluted areas, you should boil the mushroom to remove all the accumulated dirt, which it absorbs like a sponge.
What matters is not how long to cook, but how often to change the water. The optimal way is to boil it three times for five minutes after boiling, then drain the water. If boiling is part of the recipe, they will be ready 10-15 minutes after boiling.
Pickling and salting
Marsh plants can be salted hot or cold. Ideally, salting is done in an oak barrel. To prepare the barrel for cold salting, wash it thoroughly and steam juniper branches in it, which will disinfect the barrel for further processing.
The cleaned and washed mushrooms are placed in layers in a barrel. One serving requires 5 kg of product. Each layer is thoroughly salted. This amount will require 350 g of salt. The barrel is filled with cold water and covered with a smaller wooden lid under pressure. The pressure should be such that it can be heated and steamed with juniper. The foam that forms in the barrel is removed over the course of 7 days.
After a week, drain the water, rinse the barrel with clean water, and place dill with its seed umbels on the bottom. Prepare a mixture for re-salting. For 5 kg of the main ingredient, use 150 g of salt, 10 g of cloves, and 15 g of allspice. Mix everything together and salt each layer. Fill the barrel again with clean, cold water and place it under pressure in a cool, dark place for 1.5 months.
A quicker, hot-salting option requires first boiling the cleaned mushrooms for 5 minutes, changing the water twice. For the brine, take 2 liters of water, add 75 g of salt, 3 allspice peas, 2 cloves, and 5 black peppercorns. Let the brine simmer for a couple of minutes, then add the drained mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes.
Prepare liter jars by sterilizing them first. Place a bay leaf, 3-4 cloves of garlic, and 2-3 onion rings in each jar. Pour the boiling brine into the jars along with the mushrooms and seal with metal lids. After cooling, store in the refrigerator or cellar.
To marinate the caps, you also need to boil them once and drain the water. Further marinating methods vary greatly and depend on the recipe. However, the classic marinade recipe is similar for all mushrooms. Rosites are covered with cold water and brought to a boil. Add cloves, black pepper, allspice, and bay leaf to taste. The mushrooms are marinated for about an hour, then sealed in sterilized jars.
You may be interested in:Answers to frequently asked questions
The ringed cap mushroom is renowned for its incredible flavor and beneficial properties. It can be used to prepare a wide variety of dishes, and is especially good for pickling and marinating. However, due to its strong resemblance to its poisonous lookalikes, it's important to be very careful when harvesting, inspecting each fruiting body. By exercising caution and carefully studying the similarities and differences, you can enjoy these amazing forest bounty, considered a delicacy in Europe.
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