Russula mushrooms grow in both coniferous and deciduous forests. Valui (another name for gobies), which belong to russula, prefer birch and mixed forests from Siberia to the Caucasus.
Instructions
Step 1
Valui are most often found in shady, damp places during the warm season, from June to October. These mushrooms can grow both singly and in groups. Young Valui are distinguished by a rounded white leg with a small cavity in the center and a spherical overhanging bright yellow or yellowish-brown cap.
Step 2
The surface of the cap is smooth, shiny and slimy, which is why the Valui in some areas is called a "snotty mushroom". The inner side of the cap is covered with dense white plates - a spore-forming layer. Drops of milky juice sometimes appear on the plates, which, when dried, leave dark spots. The skin can be easily removed from the cap.
Step 3
As it grows, the cap straightens and takes the form of a disc with a depression in the center. Its diameter can reach 15 cm. The plates turn yellow on the inside of the cap. New cavities form inside the leg, which makes it fragile and easily crumbles. Valui has no inedible and poisonous counterparts, so there is no need to be afraid of mistakes when collecting this peculiar-tasting mushroom.
Step 4
Valuy tastes very bitter, so Europeans and Americans consider this mushroom inedible. In addition, it has an unpleasant odor reminiscent of rancid oil. At the same time, despite the bitterness, Valui is often wormy. However, it also has positive qualities, for example, a dense cap that remains strong and crispy after salting.
Step 5
Only young mushrooms with an unopened cap are eaten. Before further processing, the value should be rinsed well and the skin removed from the caps. To quickly remove the bitterness, the mushrooms are poured with cold water, brought to a boil and cooked for about 30 minutes, then the broth is drained. After that, the valui can be fried, salted or pickled. Bitterness can also be removed by soaking the mushrooms in cold water for 5 days, and the water must be changed daily.
Step 6
Prepared mushrooms are stacked in layers in glass jars, wooden tubs or enameled dishes without chips and sprinkled with salt (a tablespoon of salt per 1 kg of mushrooms). Leaves of currants, bay leaves, horseradish are laid on top so that the glass jar is tightly packed with effort. If the mushrooms are salted in a tub or saucepan, a wooden circle is laid on top of the leaves, and oppression is applied to it. The jar is closed with a nylon lid, the pan is covered with gauze and placed in a cold place for about a month.
