Chanterelles are loved all over the world. Known for their delicate flavor and great texture, these vibrant mushrooms can be found in Europe and Asia, North America and even the foothills of the Himalayas. For the first time from peasant unassuming kitchens, they came to the tables of aristocrats in the 18th century and it happened in France. Since then, chanterelles have been considered one of the gourmet foods. It is worth noting that they are not only tasty, but also healthy.
Chanterelles, like many other mushrooms, are an excellent source of protein and dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. The natural vitamin and mineral complex called "chanterelle" contains:
- zinc;
- selenium;
- potassium;
- copper;
- B vitamins (B1, B6, B9, B12);
- PP vitamins;
- vitamin D.
Fungo therapists - healers who believe that almost any ailment can be healed with the help of mushrooms - recommend vodka infusion with chanterelles and dried mushroom powder as an antiparasitic agent. Fancy mushrooms contain chinomannose, a polysaccharide that has a detrimental effect on worms. This polysaccharide is destroyed by salt and high temperatures, so delicious chanterelle dishes are useless as an anthelmintic agent. Dried chanterelles and extracts from this mushroom are useful for liver diseases, scientific medicine has proven that they are an effective remedy in the treatment of hepatitis C. If chanterelles are not purposefully treated, but simply cook and eat them regularly, then along the way you can somewhat strengthen the immune system, improve vision, strengthen bone tissue and remove harmful radionuclides from the body. The only pity is that children cannot be given chanterelles - like all mushrooms, they are too heavy food for them.
In Russia, the chanterelle season is from July to early October. In other countries, this mushroom can sometimes be found in the month of December. Mushroom pickers love to collect chanterelles settling in a "flock". It is enough to find one bright and noticeable fungus and a whole brood is at your service. Chanterelles are never wormy, they can be taken "without looking" and put in a basket, bucket or even a bag without fear of memory. Another bonus of chanterelles is that it is difficult to confuse them with false brethren.
False chanterelles are not golden yellow, but almost bright orange, sometimes even defiantly copper-red, their legs are thin and often hollow. The smell of the false mushroom, in contrast to the delicate, almost fruity aroma of the common chanterelle, is sharp and unpleasant. If you think that you are still capable of confusion and are afraid of seriously poisoning, then you may not be superfluous to find out that the false chanterelle is considered a conditionally edible fungus, that is, scientists have proven that it can cause only a minor gastrointestinal upset.
When buying chanterelles, opt for medium or small mushrooms with firm flesh. Old, large specimens can be bitter, slightly bitter in taste and shriveled mushrooms. However, this bitterness is lost with prolonged heat treatment.
To keep the mushrooms fleshy and flavorful, the chanterelles should be refrigerated, ideally placed in a small basket wrapped in cling film. A container with chanterelles should be placed in the refrigerator area intended for storing vegetables. Before storing, chanterelles should be cleaned of debris, adhering dirt, rinsed and dried. But even in this form, they will last no longer than 3-5 days.
You can store chanterelles for more than a week by freezing the mushrooms. There is a heated debate about how to properly freeze chanterelles. Someone thinks that these mushrooms can be frozen raw, just by peeling, rinsing and drying them. Others say that only fried or boiled chanterelles are subject to freezing, while fresh ones will taste bitter after being stored in the refrigerator. So who's right? Frozen fresh chanterelles will only be bitter when you freeze large, old mushrooms or dried ones, devoid of moisture. Small, strong, young chanterelles can be frozen raw without fear of their taste. It is only necessary to decompose them in portions, since the mushrooms cannot be re-frozen.
There are a lot of recipes for cooking chanterelles. These mushrooms are good both boiled and fried. They can be added to roasts, soup, sauce, scrambled eggs, quiches, pies, served on toast, with porridge, pasta, fish, poultry or meat. Frying chanterelles is better, like mushrooms, first in a dry frying pan and only then add oil and spices. Fried chanterelles are combined with garlic, onions, parsley, thyme, rosemary, dill, saffron.
From dried chanterelles, a fragrant powder is obtained, which is able to impart a light aroma and a pleasant aftertaste of mushrooms to soups, side dishes and sauces. Salted and pickled chanterelles are also popular with gourmets. They are good not only as an appetizer, but also as an ingredient in hearty winter salads.
