Bluelegs, one of the subspecies of row mushrooms, are quite common in Russia. In addition to the official name “lilac-legged row”, this mushroom is also found under the names “podtavnik”, “blue root”, “lilac-legged”. This subtype of row is distinguished by an unusual anise aroma and excellent increased taste characteristics.
The bright purple color of the stem prevents it from being confused with poisonous mushrooms. And its inherent meatiness and juiciness are ideal qualities for preparing bluelegs in a variety of ways. But, if everything is clear with frying or drying, then not every housewife is familiar with the nuances of pickling such fruits.
Where do bluelegs grow?
You can collect bluelegs in the off-season, in spring and autumn. They usually grow in meadows, forests, fields and pastures, near rivers and lakes. Active growth begins during the rainy season, when the air temperature does not drop below 10 degrees Celsius.
Getting a large harvest is not a big problem. A family of row plants from the genus Lepista, growing in circles next to each other. Many mushroom pickers call such circles “witch rings.”
Productivity in Russia remains unchanged even when temperatures drop. The first frosts do not affect the appearance and value of the fruits; they can be collected even during the first frosts.
Fried mushrooms in glass jars
To preserve fried rows, you need to follow some recommendations:
- You should fry in a large amount of oil; the mushrooms should “bathe” in it.
- Salt is added at the very end.
- Blanks under plastic lids are stored for 4-6 months, rolled up with metal lids - about a year.
- This product should be stored in a dark place; mushrooms will quickly go rancid in the light.
Ingredients:
- rows – 2 kg;
- oil for frying – 1 l;
- salt to taste.
How to properly prepare and seal for the winter:
- Wash the mushrooms, cut large ones. The fruits should be boiled for 15-20 minutes in salted water.
- Sterilize glass jars and lids.
- Place the boiled mushrooms in a frying pan with plenty of oil, stir, and cover with a lid.
- Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid, add salt and cook until any remaining moisture has evaporated.
- Place the mushrooms in jars, add the oil in which they were fried, and screw the lids on tightly.
- Once cooled, store in a cool, dark place.
Primary processing
Unlike butterfish, from which the sticky layer is removed, bluelegs do not need to be carefully processed. It is enough to rinse the mushrooms under running water, clean the stem from soil, leaves and other contaminants to obtain a processed product, ready for further preparation.
After thorough cleaning, the blue legs are first boiled. The mushrooms are boiled to a boil in salted water, drained in a colander, washed, and then cooked in a homemade marinade, selected according to one of the recipes described below.
The choice of the best cooking option depends on the ingredients and the desire of the cook. For example, if you have more products from a classic recipe stored at home, then you shouldn’t run to the store to prepare preserves updated with time. Bluelegs turn out equally well using both cold and hot marinating methods.
The benefits of pickled bluelegs
Because of their characteristic colored stem, blue-legged mushrooms scare away many inexperienced mushroom pickers. After all, they immediately consider them poisonous, since they are accustomed to the fact that most mushrooms have light-colored stems.
In fact, bluelegs is not only edible, but also quite tasty. The only thing that is advisable to do is to cut off the plates on the cap of ripe mushrooms. They contain spores that are poorly digested by the human stomach.
Another problem associated with bluelegs is their short shelf life. They try to process them within a few hours after cutting, otherwise they begin to deteriorate. Many people immediately fry them or put them in the freezer.
A unique feature of almost all mushrooms is that even after cooking and subsequent pickling, they retain beneficial substances . This is due to the peculiarity of their structure. After all, mushrooms are forced to retain nutrients in case of a long absence of rain.
The beneficial properties of pickled bluelegs include:
- Improving immunity;
- Removal of toxins from the liver;
- Normalization of pressure;
- Quick satiety without extra calories. Bluefoot is quite low in calories; 100 grams of mushrooms contain no more than 22 kcal. However, it should be taken into account that during the pickling process their calorie content may increase, because the brine contains sugar.
How to pickle blue stem mushrooms at home using a classic recipe? Master class + photo
The simplest and most delicious option for pickling remains the classic recipe, with a lightweight recipe consisting of bright seasonings, herbs and vegetables that do not overshadow the mushroom taste.
For 2 kg of blue legs you will need 6 0.5 liter jars.
Products for cooking:
- 2 kg of blue legs;
- 2 liters of purified water;
- 3 table. l. granulated sugar and table salt;
- 100 ml table 9% vinegar;
- 5 bay leaves;
- 10 peas of allspice;
- 15 white peppercorns;
- several clove inflorescences.
Step-by-step preparation:
1) Place the mushrooms that have been heat-treated and boiled on the bottom of the pan. Add sugar and salt, bay leaf, pepper and cloves. Fill the entire contents with 2 liters of water.
2) Place the pan on the burner over medium heat and bring to a boil, remembering to stir the brine using a ladle. As soon as the marinade boils, reduce the heat to low, pour in the vinegar, and leave on the stove for another 5-7 minutes.
3) Turn off the burner and remove the pan from the stove.
4) Sterilize jars and lids in a water bath.
5) Use a slotted spoon to catch the mushrooms and place them in jars. Press down with a tablespoon and pour in the marinade.
6) Roll up the jars with metal lids, turn them over and leave them in a warm place, covering them with a jacket or terry towel.
7) Once the mushrooms have cooled, place the preparations in the pantry.
Preservation of salted seaweed
The process of harvesting mushrooms in this way occurs in 2 stages: salting and canning. You will get a fragrant, tasty snack with a spicy garlic flavor.
Ingredients for pickling:
- mushrooms – 4 kg;
- salt – 250-300 gr.;
- garlic – 6-8 cloves;
- dill - to taste;
- water – 2 l;
- peppercorns – 20-25 pcs.;
- cloves, cinnamon - to taste.
How to pickle podotavniki for the winter:
- Rinse the cleaned row and boil in salted water for 25-35 minutes.
- Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water.
- Place in a saucepan or enamel bucket in layers, sprinkling each layer with salt, dill and garlic.
- Press down on top with a weight so that the mushrooms are covered with brine.
- Salt it for 5-7 days, after which the potatnik can be preserved.
- Sterilize jars and lids.
- Make the marinade: boil water, adding pepper, cloves, cinnamon. Try your pickled mushrooms, and if you have too much salt, do not add it to the marinade.
- Place the mushrooms, removing the dill and garlic, into jars. You can add vegetable oil about a centimeter on top.
- Pour in marinade. Cover the jars with lids.
- Place a rag at the bottom of a large saucepan (to prevent the jars from bursting), heat the water to 50-60 degrees, and lower the jars into it. The water level is 2/3 of the height of the jar.
- Bring to a boil, boil half-liter jars for 20-25 minutes, liter jars for 30 minutes.
- Remove the jars from the pan, roll up or screw the lids tightly if the jars have threads. Turn over, let cool and place in a cool place.
How to pickle blue legs? Mushroom recipe without sterilization
Products:
- 1.5 kg of purple-legged row;
- 75 g sugar and coarse salt;
- 3 table. l. wine vinegar 7%;
- 4 bay leaves;
- 15 peas of allspice black pepper;
- 1 head of garlic;
- several leaves of fruit trees (preferably cherry or currant).
Cooking recipe:
1) Boil the mushrooms in the marinade, adding wine vinegar at the end. 2) Using a slotted spoon, place the bluelegs into the jars. 3) Pour hot marinade over the rows. 4) Cover with lids and screw tightly with plastic caps. 5) After cooling, place the finished preserve in the cellar.
Cold pickling
When pickling bluelegs, you can use mustard seeds; this will give the mushrooms a piquant taste and excellent aroma.
Ingredients:
- rows – 2 kg;
- water – 1 l;
- garlic – 4 medium cloves;
- salt – 100 g;
- fresh horseradish leaves – 4 pcs.;
- mustard seeds – 1 tbsp. l.;
- black pepper – 10-15 peas.
- Cut off the ends of the stems of peeled mushrooms and cut large specimens.
- Boil the bluelegs in salted water for 25-30 minutes, then let the water drain thoroughly.
- Line the bottom of sterilized jars with horseradish leaves, then lay out the mushrooms in layers, sprinkling with salt, pepper, mustard seeds, and finely chopped garlic.
- Press down the last layer of fruit, screw the lids on the jars, and place in a cool place. The sample can be taken after 45 days.
Important! Salted mushrooms are stored for about a year at 2-10°C. At higher temperatures they sour, become moldy, and when frozen (for example, on a balcony in winter) they darken and deteriorate.
Blue legs, how to marinate mushrooms with garlic?
For 3 kg of mushrooms you will need: 3 liters of water, a few tablespoons of sugar and salt, 300 ml of table vinegar, a head of garlic, pepper and spices - to taste.
Step-by-step preparation:
1) Boil the mushrooms again with spices, garlic, spices and pepper. Add vinegar 10 minutes before cooking. 2) Pour the mushrooms with the marinade into jars. 3) Close the blanks under glass lids. 4) Store in the refrigerator after cooling.
Freezing
Bluelegs can not only be pickled, but also frozen, like champignons, oyster mushrooms and almost any other mushrooms. To make them take up less space in the freezer, they can be boiled with the addition of spices.
Ingredients:
- fresh rows – 1kg;
- salt – 1 tbsp. l.;
- peppercorns – 5-6 pcs.;
- dried celery, ginger - to taste;
- water.
Freezing consists of the following stages:
- Peel the mushrooms, cut off the lower part of the stem, and wash.
- Pour boiling water, cover with a lid, leave for 2 hours.
- Rinse the rows with cold running water.
- Fill with fresh water, add spices, boil for 20 minutes.
- When the rows are cooked, drain in a colander and then dry with a napkin.
- Screw the dried mushrooms into a bag, releasing the air, or place them in a container. Place in the freezer. This product can be stored for one and a half years.
Reference! Mushrooms need to be thawed in the refrigerator. It is not recommended to re-freeze defrosted fruits; they lose their elasticity and taste.
Recipe for crispy blue legs, how to marinate mushrooms?
To get crispy mushrooms, just add one or more of the following ingredients to the marinade:
- oak leaves;
- horseradish;
- cherry and currant leaves;
- vinegar.
Now our readers know firsthand how to pickle blue stem mushrooms for the winter. All that remains is to write down the recipe you like in the cookbook or save the page as a bookmark so as not to lose it.
Collect mushrooms with caution, without neglecting safety rules. Be healthy!
Pickling mushrooms for the winter
The following tips will help you in the process of pickling bluelegs:
- Do not rinse them for too long before marinating . Because of this, they lose their flavor. The optimal time for them to remain in water is 5 minutes;
- Adding garlic to the marinade is a matter of taste . If bluelegs go as a side dish, then garlic won’t hurt. When you want to enjoy exclusively mushroom flavor, it is better to limit yourself to laurel or cloves;
- For pickling, you should choose small and elastic specimens. They will crunch pleasantly on your teeth;
- The mushrooms will also be crispier if you throw a few cherry tree leaves .
