From mid-summer and almost until late autumn, on the meadows of mixed forests, birch groves and on the roadsides, lovers of "quiet hunting" gather white mushrooms, popularly referred to as the white volzhanka (in the Volga region, they are sometimes also called Volzhanks). They are eaten only in salted form, and some gourmets prefer them even to milk mushrooms. Before preparing white mushrooms, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the salting rules and only then - with the recipes.
Whitefish salting rules
The rules for the salting of whites are similar to the rules for salting similar mushrooms - milk mushrooms, mushrooms, saffron milk caps, etc. Nevertheless, a reminder of them will not be superfluous, because we are talking about mushrooms - products, the procurement of which should be treated very carefully in order to avoid cases of poisoning and dangerous diseases …
The rules are as follows:
- do not use the legs for salting;
- do not salt overripe, flabby and insufficiently fresh mushrooms;
- carefully (so as not to break fragile caps) and thoroughly rinse the whites under running water, removing debris and dirt;
- soak the washed mushrooms for several hours in cold water.
Soaking the whites is necessary in order to remove the specific strong odor and pungent bitter taste that gives the milky juice to the mushrooms. Some housewives additionally pour boiling water over the mushrooms.
When all the rules are followed and exactly followed, you can proceed directly to the salting of the whites. There are two ways - cold and hot.
Cold method of salting whitefish
Ingredients:
- fresh prepared whites - 10 kg;
- rock salt, not iodized - 400 g;
- garlic - 1 head;
- dill seeds - 50-100 g;
- horseradish root - 10 cm with a diameter of 15-20 cm;
- allspice - 20-30 peas;
- bay leaf - 5-10 pcs.
Attention! - the soaking of the whites, prepared for salting in a cold way, should be increased to 1-2 days, while changing the water daily 2-3 times. Otherwise, the mushrooms will taste bitter in finished form.
Prepare the spices. Divide the garlic into wedges, peel and chop. Rinse the horseradish root, remove the skin thinly and also cut it (you can along). Allspice and dill seeds can be lightly poured in a mortar for maximum flavor release. Combine all the spices in a bowl with salt.
At the bottom of a container prepared in advance (pots, tubs, jars), pour a little spicy-salty mixture and lay the first row of prepared, i.e. washed and soaked, whites. Place the mushrooms caps down. Sprinkle the first row with salt and spices and lay the second row on it, then the third, fourth and all subsequent ones, not forgetting to sprinkle the layers with the spicy-salty mixture. Cover the last row with gauze, put a wooden circle and a load (stone, jar of water, etc.). Place the container of mushrooms in a cool place. The whites will be ready in a month and a half.
The hot way of salting whitefish
This method is a little more complicated than the first, but after it the mushrooms turn out to be strong, do not crumble, they are stored longer and you can eat them without fear. True, one should not expect such an aroma as with cold salting.
Pour the washed and soaked whites with a weak saline brine (50 g of salt per liter of water), put on high heat. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring and skimming. Rinse the boiled mushrooms under running water and discard in a colander to glass the water. Then transfer them to a prepared dish - a saucepan or jar, sprinkling with spices and aromatic herbs. Boil the brine at the rate of 200 salt per 1 liter of water and fill the whites so that they are completely covered with brine. Mushrooms salted in this way are considered ready in 20-25 days.
In conclusion. There is a public opinion that whites, like milk mushrooms, mushrooms, volnushki, do not need spices and aromatic herbs when salting, which can shade, distort or completely destroy the mushroom's own taste. But, as they say, this is a matter of individual gastronomic preferences, everyone salts the white women as he thinks is right, in accordance with his own taste.
