How to freeze saffron milk caps for the winter at home: all the ways to properly freeze

AnyutaN — Sep 27th, 2021 Categories: Freezing

Tags: Frozen saffron milk caps, Freezing mushrooms

Ryzhiki are very aromatic mushrooms. In autumn, avid mushroom pickers go on a real hunt for them. Having collected a fairly large amount of this delicacy, many ask the question: “Is it possible to freeze saffron milk caps?” The answer to this question is positive, but in order for the mushrooms not to taste bitter when defrosted, they need to be prepared correctly.

Ingredients: saffron milk mushrooms, salt Time to add: Autumn

How to prepare mushrooms for freezing

First of all, let's sort the mushrooms by size and density. It is better to freeze small and strong mushrooms raw and whole in order to preserve their attractive appearance. And large mushrooms are set aside for freezing using heat treatment.

Those mushrooms that are planned to be frozen raw do not need to be washed. You can simply wipe them with a damp cloth or a clean (new) dishwashing sponge.

Mushrooms with large caps are cleaned of dirt and carefully washed in cool water, being careful not to break them.

How to ferment saffron milk caps correctly

The described recipe involves using only caps of saffron mushrooms for fermentation. Pickled mushrooms are considered healthier than salted ones, so pay attention to this recipe and take note.

So, how to cook saffron mushrooms. The fermentation process looks like this:

Rinse the caps, pour boiling water over them, and place in a colander to drain the water completely.
Prepare the marinade for pouring. Mix for 1 kg of mushrooms: salt - 30 g, sugar - 15 g, whey - 1 tbsp. l., and stir until completely dissolved.
Place the saffron milk caps in a container, sprinkle with additional salt and pour over the marinade.
Mushrooms must be fermented in liquid, and the tank or barrel with saffron milk caps must be pressed down with pressure on top.

It will take 2-3 weeks for the mushrooms to be fully prepared.

How to boil saffron milk caps before freezing

Large clean mushroom caps are cut into pieces of approximately the same size. Then they are immersed in boiling water for about 10 minutes. After the next boil, adjust the heat down so that the mushrooms do not fall apart due to strong boiling.

When cooked, saffron milk caps will produce a lot of foam, so you should arm yourself with a spoon to remove it.

As soon as the mushrooms are cooked (this can be determined by the fact that the mushrooms in the pan have settled to the bottom), they are carefully removed with a slotted spoon and cooled in a colander.

After the saffron milk caps have cooled completely, they are placed into portioned bags or containers. The containers are signed and sent to the freezer.

See the video from the channel “Tasty and Nourishing” - Freezing mushrooms for the winter

How to cook saffron milk caps

Saffron milk caps are wild mushrooms that got their name from the bright orange color of their cap.
The period of their collection begins at the end of July and ends with the first frost. Saffron milk caps are not so easy to find in the forest; they grow in the grass in small groups and you need to try to see the mushrooms, despite their striking color. These mushrooms have long been considered a delicacy, not only because of the difficulty in collecting, but also because of their special taste.

Unlike most mushrooms, eating saffron milk caps does not cause heaviness or discomfort in the stomach, and young mushrooms can be eaten even raw.

However, it is still better to cook saffron milk caps in traditional ways - fry, boil, stew and bake. And this is not a complete list of what can be done with these useful forest inhabitants.

Food preparation

Preparing saffron milk caps requires special care, because these mushrooms grow in the ground, and mushroom worms love them very much. Freshly picked mushrooms should be thoroughly processed before cooking:

get rid of wormy specimens, clean from dirt, rinse under running water, you can leave in a basin of water for an hour;
drain the water and place the mushrooms, caps down, on a flat surface;
Very young mushrooms can be immediately sprinkled with salt and left for 90 minutes, you will get a quick and unusual cold appetizer;
For preparing any dishes, older mushrooms are pre-boiled for 15-20 minutes.

Dishes made from saffron milk caps

In terms of protein content and nutritional properties, saffron milk caps are not inferior to chicken, beef and eggs. Therefore, they are not only used as an additional ingredient in salads, fillings and meat dishes, but also prepared in a variety of main dishes, which, due to the low calorie content of mushrooms, can be consumed even by those who are on a diet.

Ryzhiki are good fried, salted, stewed, boiled and pickled.

Fried

Before frying, it is advisable to boil the saffron milk caps for about ten minutes in salted water. They are fried with onions, potatoes, cabbage, meat and vegetables. For frying, use butter or vegetable oil, pork fat. Frying time is about 20 minutes. Mushrooms are fried separately from other ingredients or placed in the same frying pan 10-15 minutes before they are fully cooked.

You don’t need to add a lot of spices and seasonings to saffron milk dishes, just a little salt, pepper and bay leaf. For frying, you can use not only a stove, but also a slow cooker or an air fryer. Fried mushrooms are added to the filling of pancakes, pizza, pies, puff pastries and pies, and snacks and salads are prepared with them.

Stewed

If you cover the mushrooms with a lid during the frying process, they will stew in their own juice. In addition, during the stewing process, you can add any liquid - vegetable or meat broth, cream, milk, sour cream, tomato juice or soy sauce. To thicken the gravy, roll the mushrooms in flour before frying.

Every lover of mushroom dishes needs to know the classic recipe for stewed saffron milk caps with sour cream.

We will need:

12 pcs. saffron mushrooms;
1 medium-sized onion;
200 ml sour cream;
15 grams of butter;
flour for breading mushrooms;
spices.

Cooking method:

Clean the mushrooms from dirt and rinse in a bowl of water.
Cook for 15 minutes.
Drain in a colander.
Cut large mushrooms into 3-4 parts, leave small ones.
Chop the onion with a knife and fry in butter.
Sprinkle the mushrooms with flour, add to the onion, fry until the liquid has evaporated.
Pour in sour cream, reduce heat and simmer covered for 10-12 minutes.
You can add grated cheese to this dish and bake in the oven, slow cooker or microwave for 10 minutes.

First meal

Ryzhiki provide a rich, aromatic broth, on the basis of which various first courses and sauces are cooked. With these mushrooms you can prepare soups with meat and vegetable broth, cheese soups and puree soups. In addition, they are added to solyanka, okroshka and borscht.

Methods for preparing saffron milk caps

Dishes are prepared not only from fresh mushrooms; for longer storage, saffron milk caps are salted, pickled, fermented and dried. Let's look at each method in more detail.

Salted saffron milk caps

Salted saffron milk caps are especially good; there are two main ways in which mushrooms can be salted.

First way:

saffron milk caps are prepared: cleaned, wormy and rotten mushrooms removed, washed;
lay out in a layer up to 7 cm with caps down, too long legs should be trimmed;
each layer is covered with salt - 50 grams per 1 kg of mushrooms;
Place a cloth-wrapped plate on top, which must be pressed down with heavy pressure to compact the mushrooms.

In just 24-48 hours the saffron milk caps will give juice, and they will be ready in a month.

Second way:

boil clean mushrooms for 5 minutes;
place in cheesecloth, sieve or colander;
Place in a container in even layers, filling each layer with salt, bay leaf, pepper, chopped garlic and dill sprigs;
press down with pressure and put in the refrigerator or basement for 45 days.

Pickled

For this method, only mushroom caps are used. Pickled mushrooms are considered healthier than salted ones, since lactic acid promotes better absorption of mushrooms.

The fermentation process is simple:

the caps are washed, poured with boiling water and placed in a colander;
prepare the filling - mix water, salt, add sugar and whey;
put in pre-prepared containers, cover with salt and fill with marinade;
Press the mushrooms under pressure; they should always remain in the liquid.

The saffron milk caps will be ready in 2-3 weeks.

Pickling

Pickled saffron milk caps have a milder taste without the bitterness that is inherent in salted and pickled mushrooms. They are added to salads, toppings, and served as a gourmet snack.

Cooking method:

Pour salted boiling water over the prepared mushrooms;
drain in a colander and cool;
prepare the marinade at the rate of 3⁄4 cups of water, 1 spoon of salt, a few peppercorns per 1 kilogram of saffron milk caps;
boil the marinade over low heat for 25 minutes;
pour half a glass of vinegar into the warm, but not hot, marinade;
pour the marinade over the mushrooms and cook for 12-15 minutes;
Arrange the mushrooms in jars, strain the liquid and pour into the mushrooms, close with a lid;
store in a cellar, on the balcony in a cool, dark place or refrigerator.

Pickled saffron milk caps are especially good in salads, seasoned with sour cream, mayonnaise, olive oil and vinegar. Here is one of many recipes:

250 grams of pickled saffron milk caps;
100 grams of fat sour cream;
1 egg;
a bunch of green onions;
6 large spoons of green peas;
salt and pepper to taste.

Cooking method:

hard boil the egg, cool and cut into cubes;
Cut large mushrooms into halves or quarters, leave small ones intact;
finely chop the green onions, mix with sour cream and spices;
mix mushrooms, egg, peas and pour in sour cream and onion dressing.

Secrets of delicious cooking of saffron milk caps

To fully enjoy saffron milk dishes and get the most out of them, you need to know some secrets:

First of all, you should choose the right saffron milk caps. Edible species have bright orange colored caps; the crack produces carrot-colored juice with a pleasant aroma. The pungent aroma and white color of the liquid indicate that the mushroom is not edible.
These mushrooms do not like large amounts of spices and spices; a few peppercorns, salt and bay leaves are enough.
Saffron milk caps are stored frozen, dried, salted, pickled and canned.
When salting, it is very important that the mushrooms are completely in the brine; if the liquid has evaporated, you need to add salted boiled water to the bowl.
Mold is removed with gauze soaked in salt water.
Potato, pea and vegetable puree, porridge, and pasta are served as a side dish for main courses of saffron milk caps.

recipe: saffron milk caps with potatoes fried in a slow cooker

Source: https://www.poedim.ru/content/1938-kak-prigotovit-ryzhiki

Is it possible to freeze salted saffron milk caps?

Freezing salted saffron milk caps is an ideal option for storing them. With this method, salted mushrooms do not sour or spoil, as happens to them in the usual compartment of the refrigerator.

For this storage method, saffron milk caps are salted cold, but not over-salted. After being pickled under pressure in the refrigerator for a couple of days, the saffron milk caps are packaged in bags and put in the freezer. The main thing is to pack the bags for exactly one serving, since re-freezing mushrooms is unacceptable.

Saffron milk caps in jars for the winter, how to fry them?

Unlike most canning recipes, fried saffron milk caps are prepared simply. Thanks to the simple and straightforward preparation, even a beginner who has never prepared for the winter can reproduce mushrooms in jars. The most important thing is to take into account four simple rules that allow you to prepare the product for frying and subsequent storage in the refrigerator. For this it is enough:

1) clean the saffron milk caps from forest debris by cutting off the hardened and damaged parts from the cap and stem; 2) soak the mushrooms for several hours so that the sand comes off from the lower plates; 3) rinse the mushrooms again, cutting into small pieces; 4) drain the chopped parts from the water by placing the saffron milk caps on a paper towel laid out on the table.

Important!
Soaking in cold water is an essential part of preparing for frying. If you exclude this rule, the bitter taste will ruin the entire dish.

In comparison with other edible fruits, saffron milk caps belong to the first category. They do not need to be boiled first in order to obtain a preparation that is safe for health. Simply fry the mushrooms and seal them in pre-sterilized jars to get a tasty and healthy product, complemented, if not with your own juice, then with mayonnaise, vegetable stew or tomato sauce.

How to properly store and defrost saffron milk caps

Some housewives complain that saffron milk caps taste bitter after defrosting. This occurs due to non-compliance with the shelf life of mushrooms. Raw frozen saffron milk caps can be stored in the freezer for no more than 10 months, and processed ones - no more than six months.

As for the issue of defrosting, it is better to use frozen saffron milk caps without prior defrosting.
If there is a need to defrost mushrooms, for example, when defrosting salted mushrooms, then this should be done gradually - first in the refrigerator, and then at room temperature. Tweet

Frozen saffron milk caps: how to cook, recipes

Ryzhiki are a miracle of Russian forests; they can be consumed in any form: fried, boiled, stewed, and even raw, if, of course, you managed to find very young mushrooms.

But recently, with the introduction of modern freezers and the constant lack of time among housewives, frozen mushrooms have become popular. Moreover, preparing frozen saffron milk caps is no more difficult than freshly picked ones.

And to prepare some dishes there is no need to additionally defrost the mushrooms.

How to prepare frozen saffron milk caps for cooking

Despite the fact that saffron milk caps are classified as agaric mushrooms, mushroom pickers have long distinguished them in a special way, placing them on the same level as white mushrooms and milk mushrooms. Not only do they have an extraordinary taste and unique aroma, their consumption does not at all affect the functioning of the digestive system, like other mushrooms.

So, if it is recommended to boil other lamellar mushrooms before freezing, then saffron milk caps can be frozen raw. This will greatly save time in harvesting them for the winter if large quantities of mushrooms were obtained from the forest. On the other hand, boiled frozen mushrooms take up much less space in the freezer than fresh ones.

But the choice of method and time for preparing the mushroom dish depends on whether the saffron milk caps were cooked before freezing or not.

If the mushrooms were boiled before freezing, then they do not need any additional processing. You just need to defrost them at room temperature. And to fry or use saffron milk caps for soups, there is no need to even specifically defrost the mushrooms.

If the saffron milk caps were frozen fresh, then for frying and boiling you can also do without preliminary defrosting. Only the cooking time of the dish increases slightly.

But in order to prepare a salad or main dishes such as meatballs, dumplings or pie filling from frozen saffron milk caps, you will need to first defrost the mushrooms.

And then boil or fry them, depending on the requirements of the recipe.

The fact is that when defrosting, too much excess liquid is released, which can be used when using ready-made boiled mushrooms. But it is better to drain the liquid from defrosting raw mushrooms. After briefly drying the thawed saffron milk caps in a colander, the mushrooms are ready for further cooking.

Attention! If dishes are prepared from frozen saffron milk caps purchased in retail chains, then you need to pay attention to how much they stick together. If the percentage of such mushrooms is too high, then it is better to refrain from purchasing and using them for food.

If a housewife encounters saffron milk caps for the first time, she will definitely have a question about what can be prepared from frozen mushrooms. The answer to this question is surprisingly simple: almost anything, by analogy with porcini mushrooms. That is, any recipe that uses porcini mushrooms or champignons is also suitable for saffron milk caps.

Ryzhiki fried with onions

You will need:

500 g frozen raw saffron milk caps;
2 onions;
2-3 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
salt and black pepper - to taste.

Manufacturing:

Pour oil into a frying pan and heat it for several minutes.
Without defrosting, the saffron milk caps are placed in a heated frying pan.
Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and heat until the mushrooms are completely defrosted.
Then remove the lid, increase the heat and fry the mushrooms for about 15 minutes until all the moisture is gone.
Peel the onion, chop it into small pieces, add to the fried mushrooms.
Add salt and pepper to taste and keep on fire for another 8-10 minutes.

Ryzhiki baked in the oven with sour cream

You will need:

500 g frozen mushroom caps;
3 tomatoes;
1 tbsp. l. flour;
200 ml 20% sour cream;
180 g hard cheese;
3 cloves of garlic;
40-50 g of fresh herbs;
vegetable oil, salt, pepper - as needed.

Manufacturing:

The saffron milk caps are thawed and the caps are cut off if the mushrooms were frozen entirely.
Sprinkle the caps with pepper and salt and leave for 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, the garlic is passed through a crusher and mixed with flour and sour cream.
Grease a baking dish with oil and carefully place the camelina caps in it.
Tomatoes are cut into slices.
Mushrooms are poured with sour cream and garlic mixture, then tomato slices are laid out on top, sprinkled with grated cheese and chopped herbs.
At a temperature of + 180 ° C, place in the oven and bake until the top layer is browned.

Camelina soup

You will need:

500 g frozen saffron milk caps;
4-5 potatoes;
1.5 liters of water;
2 pickled cucumbers;
1 onion;
2-3 tbsp. l. tomato paste;
vegetable oil for frying;
salt, pepper - to taste.

Manufacturing:

Peel the potatoes, cut them into small slices, fill them with water and put them on the fire.
At the same time, set the mushrooms to defrost.
In a heated frying pan with oil, fry the onion, cut into small half rings.
Add cucumbers, grated on a coarse grater.
Then place the thawed saffron milk caps in the same frying pan and fry for another 7-8 minutes.
Add tomato paste and 3-4 tbsp. l. water in which potatoes are boiled.
After the potatoes in the soup are ready, add the contents of the frying pan, pepper and salt to the pan.
Cooking continues for about a quarter of an hour, turn off the heat and let the soup brew for a while.

Salad with saffron milk caps and squid

You will need:

500 g frozen saffron milk caps;
100 g processed cheese;
500 g squid;
200 g peeled walnuts;
2 tbsp. l. sour cream and mayonnaise;
a few cloves of garlic.

Manufacturing:

The saffron milk caps are defrosting. If fresh mushrooms have been frozen, they must be boiled in salted water for 10 minutes.
The squids are cleaned of all unnecessary parts, rinsed in cool water and thrown into boiling salt water for literally 30 seconds.
Both mushrooms and squid are cooled, then chopped into thin slices of a convenient size, usually into strips, and mixed in a deep bowl.
Peeled nuts and garlic are chopped with a sharp knife.
Processed cheese is grated on a coarse grater, mixed with nuts, garlic and mayonnaise.
The resulting mixture is used to season a salad of saffron milk caps and squid.
If desired, add chopped herbs (dill, parsley) and sour cream.

Camelina julienne

You will need:

500 g frozen saffron milk caps;
200 g Parmesan cheese;
500 g cream;
about 100 ml sour cream:
salt, spices - to taste and desire.

Manufacturing:

Mushrooms are thawed and cut into thin slices.
Simmer over low heat, covered, until all the moisture has evaporated.
Add oil and fry for another 10-12 minutes.
Attention! At this stage, if desired, you can also add finely chopped and fried onions.
Distribute the fried mushrooms into cocotte makers or simply into small baking dishes.
Pour in the cream, leaving a little free space on top, add spices to taste and mix.
Add a little sour cream on top and sprinkle with finely grated cheese.
Bake in the oven at + 180 °C until an attractive golden brown crust is formed.

Useful tips

To ensure that dishes made from frozen saffron milk caps delight you with their taste and aroma, you should listen to the advice of experienced chefs:

You should not overuse heat treatment when making saffron milk caps. Fresh frozen mushrooms are fried for about 15-20 minutes. For boiled mushrooms, 8-10 minutes is enough.
Ryzhiki have their own individual, distinct aroma and taste, so in dishes with them they usually either do not use spices at all, or use them to a minimum.
When defrosting raw mushrooms, leave them in a colander to drain the liquid, then rinse them in water and squeeze them lightly.

How to freeze caviar from saffron milk caps?

Is it possible to freeze saffron milk caps as caviar for the winter in the freezer and how to do it correctly?

For cooking you need carrots, onions, mushrooms, salt and vegetable oil.
All products are fried separately in a vegetable place, combined and crushed with a blender.
Salt, mix and fry again for 10 minutes over low heat.
After complete cooling, the mass is distributed into plastic containers and placed in the freezer until required.

Storing saffron milk caps in the freezer as caviar can last no more than 3 months.

How to freeze fresh saffron milk caps?

For many, freezing fresh saffron milk caps for the winter in the freezer is an unexplored method. In this regard, a wonderful opportunity to enjoy such gifts of nature all year round is missed. Mushroom pickers often make one mistake: they wash the fruiting bodies, distribute them in bags and put them in the freezer. This option is completely unsuitable for freezing fresh fruiting bodies.

To maintain their attractive appearance and beneficial properties, you need to know how to process and store saffron milk caps in the freezer.

Mushrooms, cleaned of contamination, are distributed in one layer on a tray or cutting board covered with cling film.

Place in the freezer for 8-10 hours, setting the minimum temperature.

The mushrooms are taken out, transferred to food-grade plastic containers or plastic bags and placed in the freezer.

Please note that each package must be marked with the date of freezing. In addition, one package must contain mushrooms collected on the same day. Storing fresh saffron milk caps in the freezer should not exceed 10-12 months, provided that the mushrooms have not been re-frozen.

How to freeze blanched saffron milk caps?

Some mushroom pickers prefer to blanch mushrooms before freezing. How to properly store saffron milk mushrooms in the freezer so that they do not lose their attractiveness?

To do this, after cleaning, the fruiting bodies can be washed, doused with boiling water, then placed on a kitchen towel and dried.
Distribute the saffron milk caps on a tray so that they do not touch each other.
Place in the freezer and turn on the equipment option to “maximum freezing.”
After 10-12 hours, everything will depend on the selected temperature, remove the mushrooms from the freezer.
Transfer to prepared plastic containers and return to the freezer.

Note that it is best to defrost saffron milk caps the natural way: transfer the mushrooms to the lowest shelf of the refrigerator and leave overnight. Blanched saffron milk caps are stored in the freezer for the same amount of time as fresh frozen ones - for 10-12 months.