Salt-Cured Black Milk Mushrooms for Winter
Put up a batch of this traditional mushroom appetizer and treat your family! Salt-curing black milk mushrooms (chernye gruzdi) for the winter takes a little patience, but the payoff is always worth it. The mushrooms come out wonderfully tasty — firm and meaty, pleasantly salty, and lightly spiced. Serve them as an appetizer any night of the week or dress them up for a holiday spread with all kinds of toppings (the classic is oil, onion, and garlic, though sour cream is a popular swap for the oil). They're also great chopped into salads or piled onto open-faced sandwiches.
Marianna Kim
Recipe author
Salt-Cured Black Milk Mushrooms for Winter
Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe
By weight of the composition:
Proteins 100 %
1 g
Fats 0 %
0 g
Carbohydrates 0 %
0 g
10 kcal
GI:
0
/
0
/
0
- Sort through the mushrooms carefully, picking out any forest debris and trimming away damaged spots. Cut off the stems — you'll only need the caps for curing. Wash the mushrooms thoroughly under running water, then transfer them to a roomy pot, cover with cold water, and let them soak for 24 hours. Drain and refill with fresh water every 6–8 hours. Once the soaking time is up, rinse the mushrooms under running water, return them to the pot, cover with fresh water, and bring to a boil over high heat. When it boils, add the allspice. Simmer the mushrooms over low heat for half an hour, skimming off any foam that rises. After 30 minutes, drain them in a colander and let the excess liquid run off and the mushrooms cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare your curing container — wash it with warm water and a baking-soda solution, then rinse with boiling water. An enameled pot works best. Line the bottom with currant leaves and dill heads that you've washed and scalded with boiled water. Lay the mushrooms in cut-side up in a single layer, sprinkle with salt, then add the next layer and salt again, continuing until all the mushrooms are packed in. Tuck 2–3 currant leaves between the layers and cover the top with more leaves. Lay a piece of cheesecloth over everything, set a flat plate that fits inside on top, and weigh it down — a two- or three-quart jar filled with water works well. Let the mushrooms stand at room temperature (no warmer than about 72°F / 22–23°C) for 4 days. By the first day a good amount of brine will have formed; it should cover the mushrooms completely, and you'll want to rinse the cheesecloth under running water every day. After 4 days, pack the mushrooms into sterilized jars and seal with sterilized lids. Store them in the refrigerator or a cold cellar. Enjoy!
Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish
- Dill greens - 38 kcal/100g
- Salt - 0 kcal/100g
- Allspice - 263 kcal/100g
- Currant leaves - 0 kcal/100g
- Black Bunches - 9 kcal/100g
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