An appetizer and deer horn mushroom soup. Deer horns - how to cook mushrooms at home for the winter. Is deer antlers mushroom edible or not?

These strange mushrooms in the Primorsky Territory are no less popular than “ordinary” mushrooms. There are practically no deer horns poisonous mushrooms, although a number of not tasty and not entirely edible mushrooms are represented quite widely. Find bright in the forest beautiful mushrooms- Deer antlers, or as they are also called Coral mushrooms, are quite simple. Like most tree mushrooms, deer horns They prefer rotten wood from fallen trees. By the names it is easy to guess on the wood of which tree this or that mushroom grows.

Although deer horns taste qualities are approaching the most tasty mushrooms, they are not cultivated, but mushrooms that are less demanding and more productive are grown under artificial conditions.
In the forest, on fallen trees, you can easily pick up bags of mushrooms in a matter of minutes. Deer antlers form whole clusters on the trunks, and the ease of collection makes harvesting these mushrooms simply a pleasure. .

There is a widespread opinion that these mushrooms are not suitable for classical cooking and the recipes for preparing these mushrooms are complex and not varied. This is fundamentally wrong. The author believes deer horns the most convenient mushroom for preparing and preparing dishes.
You can easily get acquainted with my recipes by clicking on the link right under the description of the mushroom.

Antler mushrooms bear fruit already from mid-summer, but it has been noticed that it is in the fall that these mushrooms acquire a truly magnificent taste. I personally like grown reindeer antlers. on fallen old oak trunks, these mushrooms have a pleasant sweetish taste and do not spoil during transportation for quite a long time. Mushrooms grown on linden or poplar are more juicy and fleshy, and deer horns growing on rotting wood of pine and cedar trees are much less tasty; they are not considered medicinal mushrooms and are used in traditional folk medicine as a remedy for worms, hypochondria, and even for rheumatic joint diseases.

Although it is difficult to make mistakes when picking antler mushrooms, always be careful! Most cases of mushroom poisoning occur due to illiteracy and negligence, when an inexperienced mushroom picker mistakes a poisonous mushroom for an edible one. Sometimes poisoning occurs with ready-made salted, pickled or canned edible mushrooms due to improper preparation or storage. It should be remembered that some edible mushrooms, consumed raw (or undersalted or undercooked) can also cause mild poisoning. We should not forget that some people have an individual intolerance to mushrooms.

By the end of summer and in the first month of autumn, staghorn mushrooms or yellow horned mushrooms with highly branched fruiting bodies that look like corals grow in Russian forests. It is quite edible subject to certain rules of collection and processing.

Deer horns (Ramaria flava), a branched yellowish conditionally edible mushroom, is also called bear's paw and yellow coral.

It is characterized by the following distinctive features:

• the total height of the fruiting body reaches 20 cm, the maximum diameter is also 20 cm. The color, initially cream, yellowish, lemon or sulfur-yellow, eventually becomes ocher to orange. The flattened “branches” are repeatedly split in a U- or V-shape, have equal lengths, and somewhat blunt ends;
• the leg grows up to 8 cm in length and 5 cm in thickness. It is colored in shades of yellow characteristic of the entire mushroom, becoming lighter towards the base. In places of pressure it becomes reddish-brown;
• pale ocher spores are formed on the outer surface of the fruiting body;
• fragile pulp of watery consistency, light, yellowish, with a faint pleasant odor. As it ripens, it becomes bitter, especially in the “branches”.

Distribution and fruiting period

Deer horn mushrooms grow in the area temperate climate. They settle on the soil in coniferous forests, deciduous groves and mixed forest areas. Branching fruiting bodies grow singly and not in large groups in August-September.

Similar species

Other yellowish horns have significant similarities with the deer horns mushroom:

• inedible blunt (Ramaria obtusissima), having rounded ends of the “twigs” and a bitter taste. It is found in Siberian mixed forests with the presence of fir and Far Eastern oak forests;
• conditionally edible yellow-brown (Ramaria flavobrunnescens), the height of which does not exceed 10 cm. With age, brown spots appear on mushrooms of this species;
• conditionally edible golden (Ramaria aurea), painted in a brighter ocher-yellow color, lighter towards the base;
• conditionally edible golden yellow (Ramaria lutea), smaller (up to 15 cm in height), found in the Primorsky Territory.

In addition, the inedible Calocera viscosa, which grows on stumps and dead wood, is often confused with deer horns. This mushroom has a bright egg-yellow color and dense gelatinous flesh.

Primary processing and preparation

Rogatik yellow refers to conditionally edible mushrooms, has a 4th taste category. Because with age you yellow hornet a bitter taste appears; only young fruiting bodies should be collected.

To ensure the absence of bitterness, deer horns are first boiled for 15-20 minutes, draining the broth, or the ends of the branches are removed. Forest “corals” processed in this way can be cooked like other edible mushrooms - boiled until fully cooked, fried and stewed. Some lovers of exotic mushrooms pickle and salt them.

Abundantly branching “bushes” of conditionally edible deer antlers attract attention with their extraordinary appearance. Properly collected and cooked young mushrooms have a taste reminiscent of lean meat.

Mushrooms have long been a fairly popular food product with high gastronomic value. In addition to the traditional, familiar representatives of the mushroom kingdom, there are also quite exotic ones that have an unusual appearance, for example, deer horns, looking at which you can’t immediately understand that these are mushrooms.

Biological description

Deer horns (golden ramaria, yellow ramaria), belonging to the gomfaceae family, have a rather specific and beautiful tree-like shape, really resembling branched deer antlers or a bizarre sea ​​coral. Apparently for this in the people they are also called horned mushrooms or coral mushrooms. Their body consists of dense, thickened matte twigs with forked tips and small, brittle spines. They are attached to the substrate with a dense and short leg. white, narrowed towards the bottom. Its height ranges from 2 to 10 cm, and its diameter is from 5 to 10 cm.

The outer surface of young specimens may have a beige, milky or yellow color of various shades, while in old specimens it changes to bright orange. Initially, the growth of mushrooms goes, as a rule, vertically, and over time they begin to bush, their branches break up and fall somewhat. Their the size can reach twenty centimeters in diameter and the same in height, and the weight is three kilograms.

But at the same time It is recommended to collect small, young mushrooms that have a pleasant taste and sweetish aroma, as well as tender, dense, fragile white pulp, which turns brown when cut or scrapped. Old and large specimens become bitter, tough and completely unsuitable for consumption. The bitterness does not disappear from them either during soaking or during cooking and further processing.

Location

On the territory of our country, deer antlers are most often found on Far East, in Western and Eastern Siberia, foothills of the Caucasus, as well as in Karelia. They can be found in both deciduous and coniferous forests, especially pine. They grow on rotten stumps, trees, and less often on soil covered with various types of moss. But it is believed that the most delicious are the specimens found in damp, shaded places in oak, aspen and birch groves.

Although deer horns are considered rare mushrooms, and are even listed in the Red Book, sometimes you can find places where they grow in large groups in a row or in a ring. They are usually collected from mid-summer to early winter, depending on the region of growth. In places with very warm climate they are found even in winter period. It is interesting that this type of mushroom is not damaged by worms.

Deer antlers: collecting (video)

Cooking methods

Despite the fact that deer horns are classified as a fourth category mushroom due to the characteristic bitterness that appears during growth, when young they are quite tasty and can be prepared in the same way as most other edible mushrooms.

Immediately after collection, they are divided into small parts, washed, boiled and prepared for the most variety of dishes: fried, stewed, added to soups and salads. They are also used to make sauces, fillings for pies, dumplings, and various preparations for the winter (salting, pickling, freezing). Cooked deer horns resemble the taste of chicken or shrimp. For example, for starters, you can prepare those completely simple dishes, the recipes for which are given below.

Mushroom salad

Ingredients:

• reindeer horns (boiled) - 200 grams;
• carrots - 200 grams;
• medium sized onion;
• - 2 teeth;
• apple cider vinegar - 2 tablespoons;
• vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon;
• salt, black pepper, herbs.

Cooking method:

1. Combine chopped mushrooms with carrots, cut into thin strips, chopped garlic, add salt, pepper, half the amount of vinegar, vegetable oil and let stand for about half an hour.
2. Cut the onion into half rings and marinate in the remaining vinegar.
3. Mix mushrooms with onions and chopped herbs.

Soup with deer horns

Ingredients:

• deer horns - 500 grams;
• water - 3 liters;
• carrots - 200 grams;
• potatoes - 500 grams;
• onion - 100 grams;
• green pea(canned) - 200 grams;
• garlic - 3 cloves;
• butter - 100 grams;
• cheese - 100 grams;
• salt, black pepper, herbs.

Cooking method:

1. Boil the mushrooms for half an hour, cool and divide into small strips.
2. Cut potatoes, carrots and onions into small cubes, place in boiling water and cook until tender.
3. Add mushrooms, green peas, salt and pepper to the boiled vegetables and leave the soup to simmer over low heat for another fifteen minutes.
4. Put cheese, grated on a fine grater, into the finished dish. butter and greens. Before serving, you can add sour cream or cream to the soup.

Precautionary measures

You should know that there are quite a large number of mushrooms that resemble deer horns in appearance. Many of them are inedible or even poisonous. Therefore, beginners need to start collecting them under the guidance of experienced mushroom pickers.

Also they should be washed and processed well, especially those that are prepared for future use, because even edible mushrooms can pose a serious danger if improperly prepared and stored. In addition, you should not collect them along roads and in other polluted places where they accumulate large amounts of toxic substances.

How to cook reindeer horns (video)

As you can see, deer antlers are not only an exotic decoration for the forest, but also an excellent product that will allow you to prepare many interesting and delicious dishes, both for the everyday menu and for festive table. And for those for whom “ mushroom hunting"is a hobby or active recreation, searching and collecting them will bring real pleasure.

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.

Horntails 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 V 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 – bright representative 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 forest. 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 horns? 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 horns

Very often they are called coral, because outwardly 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 you cook, you need to properly prepare them. Mushrooms should be thoroughly washed under cold running water. Since they have a sinuous structure, the 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. Afterwards we rinse 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.

Deer horn mushrooms amaze with their unusual appearance. They grow on trees and resemble either deer antlers or corals. From them you can prepare dishes for every taste. The main thing is to collect them with caution, because there are inedible and poisonous mushrooms, which look similar.

Deer horn mushrooms grow on trees

• Number of servings: 3
• Preparation time: 30 minutes
• Cooking time: 40 minutes

How to prepare an appetizer from reindeer horn mushrooms

Light mushroom salad for appetizer – great start festive lunch. It is especially interesting if such a salad is made not from the usual chanterelles or champignons, but from rare and unusual mushrooms.

Before preparing the salad, boil the reindeer horns in salted water until tender. It will take no more than 30 minutes. Then follow the instructions:

1. Cut the mushrooms into small pieces, chop the carrots into small strips, chop the garlic. Mix these ingredients. Add salt, pepper, vegetable oil and half the vinegar to them. Let it brew for 30 minutes.
2. Cut the onion into thin half rings, pour the remaining vinegar over it and let it marinate to remove any excess bitterness.
3. Mix salad with onions.

Garnish the salad with sprigs of herbs or sprinkle it with chopped herbs.

Soup with mushrooms and reindeer horns

Mushroom soup is a good solution for everyday lunch. If you find deer antlers on the trees in the forest, add them to the first dish. It will turn out tasty and aromatic. You will need:

• 0.5 kg of deer horns;
• 3 liters of water;
• 200 g carrots;
• 0.5 kg potatoes;
• 100 g onions;
• 200 g canned green or fresh peas;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 100 g butter;
• 100 g of hard cheese of any kind;
• salt, herbs, black pepper to your taste.

How to cook soup:

1. Put the mushrooms into the boil salt water and cook for 30 min. Throw them in a colander, cool slightly and divide into thin strips.
2. Cut potatoes, onions, carrots into small cubes. Boil water, salt it, dip vegetables in it and cook them until tender.
3. Add mushrooms and green peas to the pot. Pepper the soup and add salt if necessary. Reduce heat to low and simmer soup for 15 more minutes.
4. Grate the cheese on a fine grater. Take the pan off the heat and add the cheese, butter, chopped dill or parsley.

Before serving, you can add a little sour cream or cream to each serving, if desired. This will only enhance the taste of the first dish.

Add your favorite ingredients to the described soup and salad, don’t be afraid to experiment. Reindeer horns go well with many other foods.