The classic way to prepare milk mushrooms is salting. From time immemorial, salted milk mushrooms have been an excellent addition to potato dishes and broths. But recently, the method of pickling these mushrooms has become increasingly popular. Marinated milk mushrooms are not only tastier, but also safer, as they undergo careful processing during the cooking process. This is very important, because milk mushrooms are conditionally edible mushrooms. Today we will share with you a recipe for delicious marinated milk mushrooms.
Appearance and taste of mushrooms
This is a type of mushroom of the Russula family, very common in the post-Soviet space. It is noteworthy that in most European countries this mushroom is classified as poisonous. Milk mushrooms got their name due to the compactness of their growth. 
There are many types of milk mushrooms: white, black, yellow, oak, aspen, pepper, but I especially love the real milk mushroom, which has a pleasant aroma, crispy texture and original taste.
Usually milk mushrooms (of any type) grow large. Thus, the caps of some representatives can reach 20 cm in diameter, but their average width is 10-12 cm. The top is round, concave in the center (resembles a funnel) ivory-colored, the stem is short and thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, over time it becomes hollow. 
As mushrooms age, a fringe appears along the edges of the cap. The pulp is dense, snow-white; when broken, white juice is released, which oxidizes and turns yellow in the air, and has a bitter taste. 
The mushroom is conditionally edible
Did you know? Mushrooms have inhabited our planet for more than 400 million years and are its oldest inhabitants. At the same time, they retained all the diversity of species and their appearance. The ancient existence of fungi is explained by their exceptional vitality: these organisms can survive in sulfuric acid, in conditions of radiation and high pressure, and even at an altitude of 30 km in the atmosphere!
Grows in pine, spruce, deciduous, birch and mixed forests. Distributed in such territories as: Transbaikalia, the Urals, Central Russia, Western Siberia, the northern part of Ukraine.
Features of choosing mushrooms
You need to choose mushrooms extremely carefully, and this applies to both self-collection in the forest and the purchase of finished products. As a result of using a low-quality product, the consequences can be very sad.
In the forest
In nature, these mushrooms most often settle on the northern side of slopes and hills; they like to hide in the shade under fallen leaves. They usually grow in large families, so when you find one mushroom, carefully inspect the area - you will probably find many of its brethren nearby. It is better to go in search of milk mushrooms early in the morning, armed with a stick or some long object to easily dig up leaves, since these mushrooms like to hide under leaves. 
The collection period lasts from late June to mid-October. The season and the success of the harvest are greatly influenced by the weather. A long drought leads to a shift in harvesting, although there is no point in looking for milk mushrooms after prolonged heavy rains. The ideal condition for the growth of large colonies of mushrooms is humid weather with periodic, moderate precipitation, at an air temperature of +8-11 ° C.
When collecting milk mushrooms yourself, follow these recommendations:
- collect only small mushrooms, they are still quite elastic and not spoiled by worms;
- Do not under any circumstances pull the mushroom out of the ground or grab its underground part. This will preserve the mycelium and significantly reduce the risk of picking up pathogenic microorganisms from the soil;
- for collection it is best to use baskets or other frame containers, but not plastic bags;
- collect forest gifts away from polluted places, roads, landfills;
- Never taste mushrooms raw.
Important!Fortunately, milk mushrooms do not have poisonous twin mushrooms, the consumption of which can lead to serious consequences. However, if you doubt that you are looking at milk mushrooms, you are confused by the color, smell or consistency of the mushroom, it is better to protect yourself from the risk and avoid them.
At the time of buying
- avoid buying mushrooms at spontaneous markets;
- if you buy raw or dried mushrooms, ask the seller for a certificate assessing the quality of the product (remember that such a document is valid for a maximum of a few days);
- choose only beautiful, elastic, small mushrooms;
- never purchase home-canned goods from spontaneous markets;
- refuse to purchase if the milk mushrooms are broken, dented, or without legs;
- do not buy a product if it contains impurities of crushed mushrooms of another type.
If you buy ready-made products in a supermarket, carefully inspect the container - the jar should be intact with a tightly rolled lid. Inspect the mushrooms, study the label - the composition should be clearly indicated (without abstract components, for example, “spices”), production date, conditions and shelf life. If you are suspicious of a product, ask the store to provide you with documentation confirming quality.
Preparing pickled milk mushrooms for the winter: step-by-step recipe
In fact, all recipes for preparing milk mushrooms in marinade are the same and may differ in some marinade ingredients. We are sure that every housewife has a couple of secrets of her own on how to prepare delicious pickled milk mushrooms. Today we will offer another version of this dish and we hope that you will like it!
Dishes and kitchen appliances
From your inventory you will need:
- large container for washing mushrooms;
- 3 liter saucepan;
- a soft bristle brush (you can use an old toothbrush);
- sharp knife;
- 0.5 liter jar with screw cap.
Important!Before use, glass containers must be sterilized with steam for 15 seconds, and lids must be boiled for 5 minutes.
Required Ingredients
To prepare the dish you will need the following ingredients (based on a 0.5 liter jar):
- milk mushrooms - 500 g;
- black pepper (peas) - 10-12 pcs.;
- whole cloves - 2 pcs.;
- bay leaf (not crushed) - 1 pc.;
- dill seeds or greens - 1/2 tsp;
- garlic - 1 large clove;
- vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. l.;
- acetic acid 70% - 1 tsp;
- salt - 1/2 tbsp. l.;
- sugar - 1/2 tbsp. l.
Recipe
We bring to your attention a step-by-step recipe for preparing delicious pickled milk mushrooms. Preparation of forest gifts:
Heat treatment:
Preparing the marinade:
Video: How to deliciously marinate milk mushrooms
Recipes for pickling mushrooms with additives
You can experiment with the composition of the marinade by adding different ingredients to it. Mushrooms cooked with cinnamon, as well as onions and tomatoes are piquant and unusual.
Cinnamon
Ingredients you will need:
- 1 kg of mushrooms;
- 2 liters of water;
- 1 tbsp. l. salt;
- 1.5 tbsp. l. vinegar;
- 3 bay leaves;
- 0.5 tsp. citric acid;
- 5 pieces. allspice;
- half or a third of a cinnamon stick.
Cooking features:
- Clean the mushrooms from the soil with a brush, rinse, and chop large milk mushrooms into pieces.
- Pour 1 liter of water into a saucepan, add mushrooms, add salt, cook for 15 minutes, constantly skimming off the foam.
- Drain the water from the prepared mushrooms, do not rinse.
- Pour 1 liter of water into another pan, add cinnamon, pepper, bay leaf and milk mushrooms, cook for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, sterilize the jar and lid.
- Place the cinnamon from the marinade at the bottom of the jar, pack the mushrooms tightly, add citric acid and marinade.
- Cover the jar with a lid and sterilize in water for another 30 minutes.
- Screw on the lids.
With onions and tomatoes
These are not just canned mushrooms, but a whole salad that will be an excellent appetizer for the holiday table. To create a blank, take the following components:
- 2 kg of mushrooms;
- 1 kg of tomatoes;
- 1 kg of onions;
- 3 liters of water;
- 1 tbsp. l. heaped salt;
- 100 ml vegetable oil;
- 1 tbsp. l. vinegar (70%).
Cooking technology:
- Peeled and chopped mushrooms must be boiled in the specified amount of water and salt, constantly skimming off the foam. You can determine readiness by dropping the mushrooms to the bottom of the pan.
- Peel the mushrooms, pour over boiling water, chop into large pieces, cut the onion into half rings.
- Heat a frying pan, add oil, salt the mushrooms to taste and fry for 10 minutes, then add to the pan.
- Fry the onion and add to the mushrooms.
- Fry the tomatoes and add to the mushrooms.
- Pour vinegar into the pan with mushrooms, onions and tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring constantly.
- After the specified time has elapsed, place the product into jars and seal.
Rules for storing workpieces
The dish should be stored in a cool place away from sunlight. The temperature should not be lower than 0 °C, but not higher than +10 °C. After marinating, milk mushrooms are ready for consumption after 30-40 days. Mushroom preparations can be stored during the winter, preferably consumed before the onset of the new mushroom season, so that later you can stock up on fresh canned food.
What to serve mushrooms with
Marinated milk mushrooms will perfectly complement both a simple dinner with the family and a festive table with gourmet dishes. They can be served as an independent snack or added to salads. These mushrooms go well with simple side dishes: cereals, potatoes, pasta. They can also be added to meat and fish dishes. 
If you serve milk mushrooms separately, add a little vegetable oil, a couple of drops of vinegar and a handful of chopped green onions - you will get a beautifully decorated, aromatic and appetizing dish.
About the benefits of milk mushrooms
These forest gifts are valued not only for their excellent taste, they are also very beneficial for the body.
Did you know? The most expensive mushrooms are truffles. Thus, the most expensive representative weighing about 15 kg was sold for 330 thousand dollars.
Composition and nutritional value
The main value of this type of mushroom is its high protein content, which is easily and quickly absorbed by our body. The protein level in milk mushrooms is even higher than in red meat. Mushrooms are also rich in vitamins C, B2, B1, D. Milk mushrooms nourish the body well and give you a feeling of fullness for a long time, although the calorie content of this product is only 16 kcal per 100 g.
The ratio of BJU in fresh mushrooms is as follows:
- proteins - 1.8 g;
- fats - 0.5 g;
- carbohydrates - 0.8 g.
