Ways to combat bitterness in chanterelles
Chanterelles are often found to taste bitter after being frozen. The bitter taste is naturally present in this type of mushroom, but it is often enhanced. To prevent such a situation, you need to know the rules for harvesting and storing crops. If it is not possible to remove the bitterness, everything is corrected during cooking.
Ways to combat bitterness in chanterelles
The causes of bitterness
There are two reasons why bitterness is present in the taste of chanterelles: harvest errors and improper storage of mushrooms.
Wrong harvest
Chanterelle mushrooms are bitter if they are harvested at the wrong time - during a dry season. Also, taste depends on the place of growth. You should not pick mushrooms near highways, large industrial enterprises: they absorb toxic substances through the entire surface of the fruiting body and through the mycelium. Bitterness is also characteristic of chanterelles, which are found near conifers or surrounded by moss.
Inexperienced mushroom gatherers may accidentally put false chanterelles in the basket, which have an unpleasant bitterness in the taste. They are distinguished by the bright orange color of their hats (in the real ones it is deep yellow). The bitter taste quickly spreads to other mushrooms, so you need to learn to distinguish between edible and poisonous.
Wrong workpiece
Chanterelles also bitter after freezing if they are not processed according to the rules. To prevent this from happening, perform the following actions:
- cleaned of debris, cut out rotten places, discard low-quality specimens;
- washed several times under running water;
- pour cold salted water;
- after 1.5-2 hours, drain and dry.
Manipulations are performed immediately after collection. If the product remains for a certain time, many toxic substances will accumulate in it.
Boil the mushrooms before freezing.
Some housewives harvest raw mushrooms, but then the frozen chanterelles are bitter. To get rid of the unpleasant taste, they are pre-boiled (first for 10 minutes, then the water is changed and until cooked ready). The cooled fruit bodies are laid out in sealed containers. They are placed in the freezer in small portions (the product cannot be re-frozen). Frozen boiled mushrooms are more compact than raw ones. This helps save space.
For the first courses, mushrooms are frozen together with the broth in which they were cooked. This is a convenient way for future cooking because it does not require defrosting. The briquettes removed from the freezer are immediately thrown into the pan.
Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
Even chanterelles frozen in broth can taste a little bitter and this spoils the taste of the cooked dish. To get rid of the bitterness after defrosting the workpiece (a briquette of broth with mushrooms), you need:
- drain the broth into a separate bowl, and rinse the mushrooms well under cold running water;
- pour the mushrooms with a little water, add the onion cut into quarters and boil for 10 minutes after boiling over medium heat;
- discard the chanterelles in a colander, let the water drain completely and continue cooking.
Larger chanterelles are bitter after freezing, so for this procedure it is worth choosing young specimens (the caps should not open). They contain more nutrients.
How to get rid of the bitterness of thawed mushrooms
When chanterelles are bitter after freezing, it is worth trying to remove the unpleasant taste. To do this, the mushrooms are thawed at room temperature or placed in cold water.
If the product was not heat treated before freezing, the following actions are performed:
- soaked overnight in cold salted water;
- boil (up to 8 minutes), adding salt or a pinch of citric acid, drain and replace the water.
If the bitter chanterelles have been pre-cooked, after defrosting, they should be pickled or cooked by adding spices: bay leaf, cloves, peas, dill or vinegar.
If all the recommendations are followed, and the mushrooms still give the dish a bitter taste, the reason often lies in low-quality sunflower oil. Food that is burnt during cooking can also produce a bitter taste. In this case, add sour cream or mayonnaise to it and simmer for 15 minutes.
How to get rid of the bitterness of dried chanterelles
If the fruit bodies had a bitter taste, it will remain not only when frozen. Dried chanterelles will also taste bitter. One of the following methods will help to remove an unpleasant aftertaste:
- Pour cold salted water for 5-8 hours. Change it several times throughout the day, otherwise souring will occur.
- Dip completely in warm milk. Leave on for 2-3 hours.
Then the dried mushrooms should be boiled again. Spices and citric acid are added to the broth.
Conclusion
There is one plus due to the bitterness in the taste of chanterelle mushrooms: they are not affected by parasites. People who eat these mushrooms often get used to the specific taste. These mushrooms are not hazardous to health if harvested correctly.
If you don't like the bitter taste, you should definitely remove it. Then frozen mushrooms will become a quality ingredient for preparing delicious dishes in the cold season.
