Meadow mushrooms, or henchs, are among the most useful mushrooms, which are actively used not only in cooking, but also in medicine and cosmetology. How to distinguish them from false agarics, when to collect and how to cook these mushrooms - consider in more detail in the article.
Edibility
Meadow meadow refers to Class IV in the classification of edibility - rarely collected fungus, having a conditionally edible purpose and not a pronounced taste.
It is not only edible, but also a very useful fungus: it has anti-fungal properties, eliminates harmful viruses and cancer cells in the body. In addition, honeydew dilates blood vessels and has a positive effect on the thyroid gland.
Read also about the beneficial properties of mushrooms: champignons, boletus, ceps, cheesy, birch fungus.
Lugovik has a unique ability for self-regeneration: if you wet this dried mushroom with water, after a while it will give new fruits - for this it was called a non-booster. 
In cooking, mainly used hats again - legs have a very rigid structure and are poorly heat-treated. These mushrooms do not eat raw.
Important! Meadow mushrooms can only be consumed after heat treatment: when raw, a negnichichnik can cause severe intoxication of the body.
Botanical description
This amazing mushroom has several names - negynichnik, lugovik, clove mushroom, marasmius (from the Latin name Marasmius oreades). It belongs to lamellar saprophytic mushrooms of the Ryadovkov family (in the opinion of some researchers, non-fusillies). 
The unusual nature of the fungus lies in its ability to glow in the dark like phosphorus: this property is described in folk legends telling that travelers who lost their way in the forest at night lost their mind at the sight of these mushrooms, taking glowing mushrooms for their magic plants. Like it or not, it is not possible to know reliably, however, the ability of non-bureaus to emit phosphoric light has not yet been lost.
Familiarize yourself with the most common edible types of mushrooms: chanterelles, russules, ceps, boletus, milk mushrooms, and aspen mushrooms.
Hat
The average size of the cap reaches 5-7 cm in diameter - it is reddish-brown or yellow. In the absence of moisture (during drought or in windy weather), the cap acquires a light cream color. The form has a standard for most mushrooms - a hemisphere with a small tubercle in the center. The edges of the cap are lighter in color than the middle, besides they have no clear boundaries - they are torn, as it were, like scars. Hygrophilic hat - swells under the influence of moisture, becoming sticky and sticky. In old or over-dried mushrooms, the shape of the cap takes on a cup-like appearance. 
Leg
The mushroom cap of the meadow is held by a long and thin leg (up to 10 cm in height). It can be straight or slightly sinuous, at the base expands slightly (up to 0.5 cm in girth). Rigid in structure, consists of solid fibers. It can be as one color with a hat, and a little lighter.
Did you know? One of the main signs of fungus toxicity - the presence of convex thickenings on its stem - this is especially characteristic of the mushroom and false agaric. In edible mushrooms, the stem is always of a uniform circumference, without tubercles and thickenings.
Records
The plates of the meadowov pronounced, up to 6 mm in width. In young specimens, the plates always adhere tightly to the cap, while in older ones they fasten loosely, not adhering tightly to it. In conditions of high humidity, the plates of negnichniki acquire an ocher hue, and in drought - cream or white. 
Pulp
Mushroom pulp of fine consistency, pale (milky or yellow), does not change its basic color after cutting. It is characterized by a strong spicy smell (like a combination of cloves and almonds), but it has a sweetish taste. 
Where to find and when to collect
The territory of distribution of marasmius is quite extensive - they are found on the European continent, as well as in America and Northern regions of Africa. These mushrooms love open space, so they form on meadows, in ravines, and forest glades; they are found on pasture, field, and forest edges. Such a growing area is somewhat contrary to the name - mushrooms, which grow on stumps, are called mushrooms. However, the meadow marasmius is an exception.
Nongniaries are formed massively in warm weather, after passing rain - form arcs, rows and witch circles (wide circle with a diameter up to 80 cm). The main time for collecting non-bushes is the end of spring-beginning of autumn (subject to the presence of a warm temperature regime). 
Twin Mushrooms
Virtually every mushroom in nature has its twin - the kind that is very similar in appearance or flavor to the original. Negnyuchnik is no exception - it also has similar counterparts.
Learn more about edible and inedible species of honey agaric, as well as how to distinguish foal foam from ordinary honey agaric.
These include:
- Collibia is a loving - is a member of the Negniichnik family. The main differences from meadow meadow - the place of growth, the color of the cap and the length of the leg. Collibias grow exclusively in mixed forests, where they form on decaying wood or under rotten leaves - unlike meadow mushrooms, a collibia does not like open space. The length of the leg of such a twin is much shorter - up to 6 cm in height, and the cap is predominantly white. It is an edible mushroom. It has a sharp, very unpleasant smell.
- Poisonous whitish talker - very dangerous poisonous mushroom. In contrast to the sheepskin, it has a curved hat of exceptionally white color - this is the main feature by which you can distinguish the talker from the marasmius. Its leg is much shorter - up to 4 cm. It may have such subspecies: grayish and waxy govorushka. It grows, as well as a non-breech, on edges, glades and other open spaces.
- Mushroom winter and summer - according to external data it is similar to marasmius, however, it differs by the formation territory - such species grow only on stumps or rotting wood. Among them can be both edible species and poisonous (for example, false mushrooms).
Winter hull 
Summer honeydewImportant! Poisoning can occur not only if an inedible fungus is consumed, but also if the edible is badly washed out - in nature, edible and poisonous species often grow together, in contact and in contact with each other. To avoid intoxication and death, wash the mushrooms thoroughly and never eat them raw, even if you are sure that it is an edible type - always heat-treat the mushrooms.
Use in cooking
Due to the stiffness and poor digestibility of the legs of negnichnik for cooking use only their caps and flesh.
Dried caps can be an excellent seasoning for dishes: they have a pronounced spicy smell. This type of mushroom produces the most delicious broth, in comparison with all other types (it even surpasses the white mushroom broth in taste). 
In European cuisine, this mushroom has become an integral part of spicy sauces. Also used marasmiusov for salting, pickling, drying, cooking soups and a variety of snacks.
Learn more about the technology of marinating and salting, drying, freezing mushrooms.
How to clean
Fresh negynichniki have the ability to quickly darken, so they should be cleaned soon after the immediate collection. Be sure to sort the mushrooms before cleaning - all old, rotting or moldy units need to be thrown away.
Then you need mushrooms be sure to rinse: debris, bugs, or aphids can remain under the caps - but not if you are going to dry up the mushrooms again. Then the excess trash and bugs need to be removed from under the cap with a knife. If the harvested crop is intended for drying, then it will be enough to cut off the damaged or moldy parts of the fungus - another stripping is not required. 
For pickling or pickling you will need another kind of cleaning. Before processing, they should be soaked for 20-30 minutes in warm water. Then carefully remove the film with a knife without damaging the mushroom cap (the legs can also be cut off). The film under the cap can not be removed, but if you need to do this, it is enough to substitute the cap under a stream of water - a gentle film will easily separate and wash off. Next, the cleaned caps are washed - now they can be used for further preparation.
Familiarize yourself with recipes for making salted and marinated mushrooms.
How and how much to cook
Cooking time is calculated based on what dish the mushrooms are intended for and what heat treatment will take place in the future:
- Frying. Before frying or stewing the meadow mushrooms, they should be boiled in salted water for at least 1 hour. At the same time, the cooking process is divided into 2 stages: first, the mushrooms are boiled for 20 minutes, then the onion, bay leaf, allspice, and salt are added to them — the non-oil boilers are boiled for another 40 minutes. Then they are taken out of the broth, allowed to dry slightly and used for frying or carcass with other components - onions, potatoes, sour cream, meat, etc.
- Frost. Cooking time of marasmius before freezing will depend on their size, but on average this time should not be less than 60 minutes. After boiling for 20 minutes, the first water is drained, and half-brown mushrooms are poured with fresh boiling water, and then cooked until ready.
- Pickling. Mushrooms must be fully prepared, so they need to boil for at least 60-80 minutes. After 20-25 minutes after the start of boiling, the water is drained and non-boilers are filled with new boiling water, salt and spices are added, and another 40-60 minutes are boiled.
- Cooking dried mushrooms. In order for the dried garlic to completely restore its shape, you need to boil it in salted water for 20-30 minutes.
How to fry
Used for frying pre-cooked mushroom caps - the legs of the meadows are not suitable for roasting or stewing. Cooked honey mushrooms roast in a hot frying pan for 20-30 minutes (when frying with meat, cooking time increases to 40 minutes). Frozen mushrooms roast for up to 30 minutes - no pre-thawing is required. One of the signs of cooking fried meadows is easy post-shooting: this applies to frozen mushrooms. Fresh honey mushrooms roast up to 40 minutes (in this case, they must first be soaked in warm water for 30 minutes).
Did you know? In the era of the Middle Ages, girls with a full moon gathered the caps of negnichnik and applied them to the face - it was believed that they were able to rid themselves of freckles and skin inflammations.
Video: collection of meadow agaric honey, the difference from the twin mushrooms, cleaning, drying
The meadow arbor is one of the most popular types of mushrooms among beginner and experienced mushroom pickers. Unpretentious growth, ease of harvesting and cleaning, as well as excellent taste, made a negychnik one of the most frequently harvested mushrooms in Europe. Knowledge of the rules of cleaning and heat treatment of the meadow will help you to cook delicious dishes, as well as to pickle, dry and prepare garlic for the winter.
