Winter doesn’t let up. Low temperatures and snow are taking their toll on us. Even in such conditions, you can find oyster mushrooms in the forest that will please both our eyes and our palate. After all, they are suitable for various dishes.
Oyster mushrooms are a genus of mushrooms from the Oyster mushroom family. Their characteristic feature is an ash or dark gray hat with a diameter of 5 to 25 cm with rolled edges and a funnel shape in the central part. It has a smooth surface and is covered with gills on the bottom.
These mushrooms are also characterized by a stem growing from the side, with gills also overlapping it. Specimens can be found in clusters of a dozen or even several dozen pieces.
Oyster mushrooms contain 70 percent. digestible protein and a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids. They also contain vitamins, including: C and those from group B and minerals, i.e. iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, calcium, potassium, sodium.
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Oyster mushrooms grow in forests from October to March. They most often appear during a thaw, when the temperature is slightly above 0 degrees Celsius for several days.
They grow on the trunks of deciduous trees, mainly beeches, poplars, birches and willows.. Sometimes we can also find them on oak trees.
When collecting oyster mushrooms, we have to be a bit “flexible” because their fruiting bodies grow high on trunks or in clumps. Such mushroom picking also requires patience.
Remember to collect only fresh and firm specimens in winter. It’s better not to take slippery, watery and dark ones with you.
Oyster mushrooms should be washed before preparation. However, we must do it quickly and gently because they are fragile and may soften when exposed to water.
Their taste is neutral, so we use various spices. These mushrooms can be fried, grilled, boiled, marinated and baked.
For example, it is worth making fried oyster mushroom, which will be very similar to a cutlet. All you need to do is dip its hat in egg, then in breadcrumbs and fry it on both sides until golden brown.
You can prepare pasta with these mushrooms, add fried vegetables and cover the whole thing with a white cream sauce.
The oyster mushroom sauce tastes great, perfect for potatoes, pasta, rice, groats, but also for poured dumplings or dumplings. We also recommend adding oyster mushrooms to bigos, omelets, goulash soup and casseroles.
