How to choose a good product and determine quality characteristics
They can most often be found in pine forests and spruce forests. The color range of this species is varied - from light yellow to dark orange tones. It is extremely rare to come across absolutely red and even bluish-green specimens.
External characteristics of the saffron milk cap:
- the maximum diameter of the cap usually does not exceed 15 cm, the central part is slightly curved, and the edge is tucked;
- the height of the leg is no more than 9 cm, with a hollow, rounded configuration. When pressed, it crumbles;
- the partitions at the bottom of the cap are narrow. The frequent plates are connected to a tubular base;
- After a few hours, the cut or broken areas take on a greenish color.
According to their classification, these mushrooms belong to category 1. In terms of edibility, they are on a par with white and boletus mushrooms.
How to choose
Saffron milk caps are most often found in spruce or pine forests. The most delicious are small mushrooms with a cap up to 2 cm in diameter. All saffron milk caps have a characteristic orange tint to the cap and stem; there may be circles of a darker color on the cap. Young mushrooms have a convex cap with folded edges, and old mushrooms have an inverted funnel-shaped cap.
You can distinguish a real saffron milk cap from a false one by pressing on the cap. In this case, a true mushroom will have a greenish tint at the bottom, and a thick yellow-orange juice will be released from the pulp. False mushrooms do not have such properties.
Composition, beneficial qualities and calorie content
Orange tones indicate the presence of beta-carotene in mushrooms. This antioxidant is useful for preventing eye disease and improving visual acuity.
Acts as a wound healing agent. Its deficiency can lead to dermatological and infectious diseases, problems with the mucous membrane.
When eating saffron milk caps, it is recommended to season the dishes with sour cream or vegetable oil, which helps to effectively absorb individual vitamins.
Includes:
- microelements that ensure the metabolic process;
- vitamin groups C and B, which affect the performance of the immune system and metabolic functions of the body;
- One of the important ingredients is lactriovioline. Its capabilities are comparable to antibiotics. This component localizes the reproduction and vital potential of bacteria. Necessary in the treatment of inflammatory processes, mostly associated with lung diseases;
- amino acids, even during heat treatment, do not lose their properties and are completely absorbed by the digestive organs.
Compared to other mushrooms, the restorative qualities of saffron milk caps stand out the most. You can get benefits from them if the product is of high quality.
It's easy to check. Cut off a piece of the cap or stem; at the cut site, a liquid will appear, similar in color to the color of mushrooms, with a slightly bitter taste.
For 100 grams of saffron milk caps there are:
- 17 kilocalories raw;
- 22.4 kcal – when boiled;
- 22 kcal – when marinating;
- 52.7 kcal - with regular frying.
In combination with sour cream, cheese and cream during cooking, the calorie content can increase to 200 kilocalories. When drying, the indicators rise by an order of magnitude or more due to a decrease in weight while maintaining the proportion, but to fresh mushrooms.
Food uniqueness
The beneficial properties are ideally preserved when cooked in a double boiler and when dried . When dried, the product is filled with a rich mushroom aroma and is widely used as a natural additive to first courses.
For 100 grams of dried saffron milk caps there is:
- fiber – 2.2 grams;
- proteins – 1.9 g;
- fats – 0.8 g;
- carbohydrates – 0.5 g.
Micro- and macroelements, vitamin complex:
- potassium – 310 mg;
- phosphorus – 41 mg;
- magnesium – 8 mg;
- calcium – 6 mg;
- sodium – 6 mg;
- iron – 2.7 mg;
- vitamin C – 6 mg;
- B1 – 0.07 mg;
- B2 – 0.2 mg.
The glycemic index of fresh saffron milk caps is 15 units.
How to use
Some people eat saffron milk caps raw, sprinkled with salt. Thanks to their pleasant taste and delicate aroma, they can be eaten either way. But not everyone likes this method, so traditionally mushrooms are cooked:
- cooking;
- stewing;
- frying
Before cooking, raw mushrooms are not washed, but only wiped with a damp sponge to free them from lumps of soil. It is not recommended to wash them with water, because... they absorb water and swell. When frying, mushrooms should be placed in a dry frying pan without oil so that all the moisture evaporates from them. During the frying process, the saffron milk caps decrease in size by almost a third and darken. After this, you can add oil to the pan and fry as usual.
The maximum value and nutritional properties of saffron milk caps can be preserved by steaming or dried. Mushrooms are dried in the oven on a baking sheet, as well as in special electric dryers. When dried, saffron milk caps acquire a rich and bright mushroom aroma, for which they are highly valued as an additive to soups.
Saffron milk caps are marinated using classic marinade ingredients: vegetable oil, vinegar, cloves, peas and sugar. Depending on the recipe, you can use regular table vinegar, wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
In ready-made dishes, saffron milk caps perfectly reveal their taste. They are traditionally added to meat, chicken, salted cabbage, vegetable soups, stews, and cereal porridges. Delicious dumplings and pies are made with a filling of boiled eggs, mushrooms and green onions.
How they affect the body
Due to their low fat content and the absolute absence of cholesterol, adult men and women with obesity, diabetes, arthritis and osteoporosis are recommended to include saffron milk caps in their diet.
These mushrooms have a regenerative effect on the cardiovascular system. They are recommended for use in the diet of both sick and recovering people. Camelina is a natural aphrodisiac.
A large amount of fiber helps cleanse the intestines. But in the absence of gastrointestinal pathologies. Experts have found components that have a positive effect on the treatment of oncology.
It is assumed that with regular intake of saffron milk caps (100 grams per day), the effect can be compared to a full chemotherapy course.
Theoretically, this product is not prohibited for pregnant women and nursing mothers. But it is better to limit their consumption, as this can lead to problems in the digestive system.
It is recommended to feast on it only if you are absolutely sure that the mushrooms were collected in an environmentally friendly area and have undergone the necessary heat treatment. Separate requirements are put forward for fried and pickled red inhabitants of the forest.
In the first option, they should be excluded from the menu for women who quickly gain weight during pregnancy. In another option, they are prohibited in case of swelling and hypertensive fluctuations in the second and third trimester.
You will need to be very careful in sorting out and preparing these mushrooms , collected yourself, so as not to poison the pregnant woman.
Children under 12 years of age and older adults should avoid this product. For others, they will become a desirable dish on the table, bringing only benefits and satisfaction from the exquisite taste.
The healing properties of salted saffron milk caps
Some options for culinary processing of saffron milk caps completely retain the beneficial substances in them, while others partially destroy them. Thus, cold salting of fruit bodies contains the same amount of vitamins and nutrients as in their original form. But during hot salting, a certain amount of vitamins is destroyed, but a significant part of them remains.
The benefits and harms of salted saffron milk caps are on par with fresh ones. The salted fruit bodies contain vitamins PP, C, B1 and B2. In addition, they contain phosphorus, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and sodium. Among other representatives of the mushroom “kingdom,” saffron milk caps are best absorbed by the digestive system, without creating a feeling of heaviness and discomfort. However, this is the case if this product is consumed within normal limits.
There are several more unique features that show the benefits of salted saffron milk caps. Thus, they help cope with various infections, and the calcium content is involved in the formation and strengthening of bone tissue. In this regard, saffron milk caps are recommended for patients with osteoporosis and arthritis.
In addition to the above-mentioned healing properties, camelina is also known as an excellent aphrodisiac that has a positive effect on male power. During clinical trials, specialists from the University of Baltimore noted that these mushrooms contain large amounts of selenium and vitamin D, which allow men to successfully fight prostate cancer.
Studying the benefits and harms of saffron milk caps, including salted mushrooms, we can say that they have a positive effect on the entire body as a whole. Eating these fruiting bodies is well suited for the prevention of cancer and pulmonary diseases, including tuberculosis. Saffron milk caps enhance the effect of medications and speed up rehabilitation after complex illnesses.
Contraindications and possible danger
It is forbidden to consume saffron milk caps for people suffering from low acidity, the absence of a gallbladder, gastric ulcers, cystitis, pancreatitis, liver and kidney pathologies.
Grebes are often found in the forest, in close contact with edible specimens, transmitting toxic substances through spores.
It’s better not to take risks, but to pass by.
In reality, false saffron milk caps do not exist , although some species fall under their characteristics.
This is an amber milkweed, which belongs to mushrooms with a low concentration of toxic substances, a conditionally edible moth, and others.
In real life, poisoning with such mushrooms is a rare phenomenon, but it does occur.
First symptoms:
- pain in the stomach;
- loose stools;
- vomiting reflex;
- temperature increase.
If these signs occur, the victim will need to drink a large amount of liquid and call an ambulance.
To prevent poisoning, carefully sort your forest finds before cooking. If you are unsure, it is better to throw it in the trash or contact a mushroom expert.
Contraindications
In order for camelina oil to be beneficial and not cause harm to your body, you should know how to take it and in what doses.
Important! It is recommended to drink no more than 2 tbsp per day. spoons of oil.
Considering that the beneficial properties appear precisely with long-term use, it is important to remember that the unrefined product is stored for no more than 1 year. The refined product has a more attractive appearance and taste, but it is less saturated with vitamin E and oxidizes faster, turning into poison for the body. The shelf life of the refined product is no more than 6 months.
A contraindication for consuming camelina may be individual intolerance to the product. It is not recommended to use camelina oil for pancreatitis; it will cause harm both at the stage of the acute period of the disease and during the residual effect of the disease. To treat pancreatitis, pay attention to milk thistle decoction.
People who are obese should remember that Camelina oil is very high in calories, so you should consult a doctor before using it.
Some instructions for use
Saffron milk caps must be processed quickly, immediately after collection. They will need to be dried, frozen, or cooked within 24 hours.
Some gourmets eat these mushrooms raw, lightly sprinkled with salt. Not everyone dares to try such food. Therefore, they are processed in various ways: salted, pickled, boiled, stewed and fried.
You cannot cook these forest gifts with cabbage. Even a person who is confident in his health should not experience such a mix. This dish is very difficult to digest.
Before cooking, they are not washed due to swelling , but only wiped with a damp sponge, removing dust and dirt.
When frying, it is good to place the mushrooms in a preheated saucepan without adding oil and wait until excess moisture comes out of them.
They become almost a third smaller and darker. Then you need to add oil and cook in the traditional way.
Nutritional Benefits
Saffron milk caps are one of the few mushrooms that can be eaten raw without the risk of poisoning. However, due to their special taste, saffron milk caps prefer to be salted or pickled. They are less often eaten fried.
These mushrooms are considered easily digestible and high in calories. After cooking and canning, their energy value is superior to herring, beef and chicken eggs. However, saffron milk caps will not harm people “on a diet” at all; moreover, they are a source of proteins that are close to complete proteins in their amino acid composition.
Cooking recipes
In the culinary world today there is a gastronomic boom in the preparation of saffron milk caps. The unique taste aroma of these mushrooms brings them to a leading position.
Baked
For the dish you will need:
- mushrooms – 400 g;
- cream with fat content up to 22%;
- onion – 2 pcs;
- hard cheese – 100 g;
- salt, butter.
Preparation steps:
- Finely chop the saffron milk caps and onions;
- sauté mushrooms in vegetable oil;
- add chopped onion, stir and fry until golden brown;
- Place the fried ingredients in pots;
- pour in cream;
- Place cheese grated on a medium grater on top;
- bake in the oven for about 20 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees Celsius.
A golden brown crust has formed - the dish is ready. It is advisable to consume warm.
Stew
Required Products:
- mushrooms – 300 g;
- potatoes – 400 g;
- wheat flour – 1 tbsp. spoon;
- sour cream – 250 g;
- salt, black pepper;
- butter.
Step by step steps:
- cut the peeled potatoes into slices and boil lightly;
- cut the mushrooms evenly into medium pieces;
- beat sour cream with flour in a blender;
- Combine potatoes, sour cream, mushrooms. Add salt, seasonings, mix everything thoroughly;
- place on a baking sheet;
- cook for 40 minutes at 180 degrees.
When serving, you can sprinkle with herbs.
How to properly and tasty prepare pickled saffron milk caps, watch in this video:
If there are no contraindications, you can eat it every day, in small portions, preparing it immediately before meals, preferably for dinner, without overusing the quantity. Overeating can lead to constipation and weakened muscle tone.
Nutritionists advise everyone who is not indifferent to their figure to eat saffron milk caps, since they contain protein that replaces protein and the need for meat.