In nature, there are a huge number of varieties of mushrooms. One of the most sought after and largest is the royal champignon. This variety is characterized by long shelf life and a rich odor. You can learn more about the fungus by studying this article.

Mushroom description

Royal mushrooms are characterized by the classic appearance of the fruiting body and have a hemispherical shape of the hat. The popularity of these mushrooms is somewhat less than ordinary mushrooms, but this does not prevent them from taking their place in the supermarket shelves.

The composition of royal champignons includes more than 20 amino acids. These mushrooms are a natural source of protein for vegetarians.

Appearance

The edges of the mushroom cap are wrapped inward, and its diameter is 10–15 cm. In nature, specimens can be found, the size of which reaches 30 cm. The surface of the cap is fibrous, and may also contain small scales.

Important! Classic pieces have a brown hue. Sometimes there are fruiting bodies, artificially bred and having a white or cream hat.

The leg is characterized by a dense structure. Its height reaches 8 cm, and its width is up to 3 cm. Below it has a cylindrical shape. Its surface is smooth, and the shade is the same as that of the hat. The mushroom pulp is fleshy and has a white tint. If it is cut, then after a while it will acquire a pinkish color.

The hymenophore of young fruiting bodies is covered with a dense film of a light shade. As the royal champignon develops, it opens and forms a ring on the top of the leg.

Time and place of fruiting

Royal brown champignons grow in open areas (meadows, clearings, etc.). Most often, fruiting bodies are found in gardens, in gardens, parks and along roads. Often they are grown in artificial conditions (in greenhouses). This champignon is rarely found in forests and in areas where little grass grows. Fruits this variety from May to September.

Did you know? In 2015, the gross harvest of champignons in Russia amounted to 10 thousand tons.

How are they different from ordinary whites?

Royal champignon may differ from the usual following characteristics:

• has a larger size;
• a hat of a brown shade;
• the pulp is characterized by a pleasant mushroom aroma;
• the price is higher than usual;
• long fruiting period (3 months).

Cooking recommendations

Before preparing fruiting bodies, they must be carefully prepared.

This process consists of several stages:

1. Rinse the mushrooms under running water. It is most convenient to do this using a colander.
2. Clean the hat from dirt with a soft, damp sponge.
3. Remove the bottom of the foot.
4. Put the champignon pieces on a paper towel so that excess moisture comes from the glass.

There are a huge number of recipes that allow you to cook delicious dishes with brown champignons. You can use an oven, barbecue or gas stove for this. Recipes have some differences, so you need to familiarize yourself with the features of the preparation in advance.

Important! Never soak the royal champignons. They are saturated with water and lose their taste.

In the oven

Most royal mushroom recipes use an oven. If you are going to cook stuffed mushrooms, then choose large fruiting bodies. Smaller ones are suitable for baking on skewers. They must be kept in the oven for no more than 30 minutes, otherwise the dish will turn out to be too dry.

To preserve the juiciness of the pulp, you need to use parchment paper or foil. If you are going to cook hats separately, put a small amount of butter in the middle. This will save the tenderness and softness of the mushroom.

In the pan

If the recipe does not indicate that you need to pre-cook the fruiting bodies, then it is better not to do this. It is not necessary to finely chop the mushrooms, as as a result of the heat treatment, the pieces will lose moisture and decrease. Fry fruiting bodies must be no more than 15 minutes to preserve the taste.

To preserve the shade of the mushrooms and avoid their darkening, it is necessary to use the following ingredients:

• lemon juice;
• butter.

It is better to fry mushrooms in vegetable oil to make the dish less nutritious and more useful. Lemon juice needs to be watered in fruit bodies at the beginning of cooking, and butter is added a few minutes before the end of cooking.

In the microwave

Most often, stuffed mushrooms or mushrooms with cheese are cooked in the microwave. Remember that do not use metal utensils.. This can not only spoil the taste of mushroom dishes, but also reduce the life of household appliances. Heat treatment should last no more than 5 minutes at high power. To preserve juiciness, use a baking sleeve.

On the grill

If you cook mushrooms on the grill, their taste will be pleasant and unforgettable. Very often they are used as an alternative to fatty meat or fish. At the stake, fruiting bodies will dry out much faster. therefore to preserve the natural moisture contained in the pulp, you must first marinate the mushrooms.

This can be done with vegetable oil and seasonings, which you use regularly for cooking. 500 g of mushrooms need to pour 1 liter of oil and add 1/3 tsp. spices (ground black pepper, suneli hops, curry and caraway seeds).

Now you know how royal mushrooms differ from ordinary ones. They are larger and have a bright shade of a hat. These fruiting bodies are often used for vegetarian barbecue. Each housewife can choose the best recipe for cooking these delicious mushrooms.