How to soak dry porcini mushrooms: tips for housewives
Fans of the "silent hunt" appreciate the mushrooms, because of them you can cook various dishes. In addition, these fruiting bodies can be prepared for the winter using a variety of processing methods: picklingfrying pickling etc. A special place is given to dried porcini mushrooms, because they make amazing soups, sauces, pastes and much more. However, before proceeding with the recipes, you must familiarize yourself with how to soak dried mushrooms.
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Do I need to soak porcini mushrooms before cooking?
It is known that mushrooms cannot be soaked in water before drying, therefore this procedure should be carried out before cooking. Most housewives agree that using dried fruit bodies is very beneficial. Firstly, they can be bought at the supermarket or in the market at any time of the year. Secondly, dried mushrooms are stored much longer without losing useful properties and pleasant aroma. Thirdly, in the kitchen they will occupy very little space.
Some housewives are interested in whether porcini mushrooms should be soaked. I must say that the quality of the final product will depend on this process.
Porcini mushrooms are recommended to be soaked in cold clean water, but they must be checked by touch. It should be remembered that the number of dried fruit bodies should be taken an order of magnitude less than fresh ones. When soaked, they swell, increasing almost several times. Therefore, you should not take a lot of product for cooking one dish, just one handful that fits in the palm of your hand is enough.
Should porcini mushrooms be soaked overnight?
Some housewives prefer to soak ceps overnight, others leave them in water for 2-3 hours, and still others think 30 minutes is enough. The soaking time usually depends on the type of fruiting body and on the process by which they were dried. So, if the mushrooms were processed in the oven or oven under the sharp influence of high temperature, then they will be tougher and coarser in consistency. Thus, soaking time needs to be given much more. On the other hand, if the mushrooms were dried in natural conditions, for example, hanging in the kitchen, then the time with soaking can be reduced, because the consistency of the pulp remains more tender.
So, how to soak dried mushrooms in dried form and how long does it take? To do this, take a handful of fruiting bodies and fill with water. It is best to use an enameled or glass container for this procedure, since an oxidation process can occur in a metal dish. If we talk about the soaking time, then it is from 1 to 4 hours, depending on the drying method. In any case, you need to periodically check the mushrooms.When it becomes noticeable that they have become soft and swollen, then you can start cooking your favorite dishes. The taste of mushroom treats will certainly appeal to you and your loved ones!
How to soak porcini mushrooms in salt water and milk
It must be said that sometimes housewives grind dried porcini mushrooms into powder and immediately add them to broths or sauces, without using preliminary soaking. However, this does not happen often, especially if you want to see pieces of fruiting bodies in a dish. In this case, porcini mushrooms are advised to soak in salt water at the rate of ½ tbsp. l salt per 500 ml of water. Salt is needed for a deeper cleansing of the fungus from dirt and small grains of sand, if any.
Some are used to using milk instead of water. Do I need to soak a white mushroom in milk? It turns out that this product perfectly replaces water, and besides, it rinses and cleans the fruit bodies themselves well. In this case, the taste and aroma of boletus is preserved in its original form. The soaking procedure itself is very simple, you just need to follow some recommendations. To do this, you need to slightly heat the milk and pour mushrooms on it. Then leave for a while, but at the same time constantly check them by touch. If you see that the fruiting bodies are ready for further processes, then drain the milk. You can slightly crush mushrooms with your hands so that unnecessary liquid comes out of them. Then you can safely proceed to the desired culinary "operations". As mentioned, soaking dry porcini mushrooms in milk is not difficult at all, while the taste and smell remain amazing.
How to soak dry porcini mushrooms for cooking soup
Is it necessary to soak ceps before cooking, because all the same, when they come in contact with water, they will swell? Experienced mushroom pickers suggest that it is better to carry out a preliminary soaking, because then the mushrooms in the cooked dish will have a more delicate and soft consistency. You can conduct heat treatment in the same water in which the product was soaked.
If for some reason there is no way to soak the mushrooms, then you can immediately boil them. However, this should be done in several stages, constantly changing the water. After boiling, the fruiting bodies should be washed with running water and cut into pieces.
And how to soak dry porcini mushrooms for cooking soup? To do this, take the required amount of dried product and pour it with cold water or milk. After 1 hour, check the mushrooms for softness, and if they are ready, drain the liquid. If you soaked fruit bodies in water, then do not pour it. Better strain through a sieve or cheesecloth, and then add to the soup. Thus, you will get the first dish rich in mushroom taste and aroma.
It is not recommended to add potatoes to mushroom soup, as it absorbs the taste and smell of fruiting bodies. It is better to send a couple of tablespoons of any cereal or half a glass of boiled beans to the broth. In addition, it is not worth adding a lot of spices to the soup from porcini mushrooms so as not to interrupt its natural taste and aroma.
